Surgical outcome and unusual complications of paediatric external dacryocystorhinostomy

ABSTRACTPurpose: To report the surgical outcome of external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) in children treated for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) at a single tertiary eye hospital.Materials and Methods: The medical records of 44 consecutive paediatric patients who underwent external DCR with silicon tube intubation from January 2002 to December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Age at the time of surgery ranged from 2 to 12 years. Surgical success was defined as resolution of symptoms, normal tear film height, and negative fluorescein dye disappearance test. This study adheres to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.Results: Four patients had simultaneous bilateral surgery (9.1%). Four patients had redo surgery following previous unsuccessful DCR. The patients’ follow-up ranged between 2 and 10 years. There were no cases of serious immediate post-operative complications, but four children developed subcutaneous emphysema, and in two children operated before the age of 2....