External dacryocystorhinostomy for isolated lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis – A suitable alternative to dacryocystectomy

PURPOSE: To describe the outcome of external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) as a suitable alternative to dacryocystectomy (DCT) in cases of isolated lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective, interventional case series. Institutional review board approval was obtained for the study. The chart review of 13 patients who underwent external DCR surgery for isolated lacrimal sac rhinosporidiosis between July 2012 and May 2018 was performed. Demographic details, clinical presentation, preoperative and intraoperative findings, surgical technique used, postoperative management, surgical outcome and duration of follow up were reviewed for each patient. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were included in the study. Nine (69.2%) were male and four (30.8%) were female. The mean age was 22.1 years (range: 8–46 years). Involvement was unilateral in all cases. The commonest presenting complaint was epiphora with discharge seen in 10 cases (76.9%). An intrasac granuloma was grossly identified intraoperatively in 12 out of the 13 patients. Mean follow up was 26.9 months (range: 1.5–68 months). Till the last follow up, all cases were symptom free and did not have any evidence of recurrence of infection. CONCLUSION: From this series of cases reported by the authors, external DCR with appropriate precautions to prevent recurrence appears to be a suitable alternative to conventional DCT with excellent long-term outcomes without disease recurrence.