THE ENDOSCOPE AND THE RADIOFREQUENCY UNIT IN DCR SURGERY

Endoscopic laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) offers several a dvantages over standard external (SE) DCR. The technique eliminates th e cutaneous scar and cosmetic blemish of an external dissection and ca uses less surgical trauma and bleeding than SE-DCR, with shortened pos toperative recovery time and lessened postoperative pain. However, the equipment is expensive. We modified this technique using simple instr uments such as the curette, Kerrison punch, Freer elevator, Storz endo scope, Ellman Surgitron unit, and the Javate DCR electrodes instead of the laser. Fifty patients with epiphora and nasolacrimal obstruction underwent surgery with our new technique. Fifty age-matched, paired ex ternal DCR were performed, and comparisons were made with the endoscop ic procedure described. If preoperative epiphora was resolved and naso lacrimal patency was confirmed by lacrimal irrigation 3 months after t ube removal, the operation was considered a success. The study attaine d a 90% success rate for endoscopic radiofrequency-assisted DCR, as co mpared to a 94% success rate (p > 0.05, not statistically significant) for the SE-DCR.