endonasal endoscopic laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy

endonasal endoscopic laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy has many advantages over conventional external dacryocystorhinostomy. this technique avoids a cutaneous scar and causes less surgical trauma and bleeding than that seen in conventional lacrimal surgery. a total of 20 endoscopic laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy in 16 patients were performed between 1998 and 1999. the procedure was successful in 90% of cases, with no major complications. this success rate is comparable with external dacryocystorhinostomy. silicone tubing was applied in 11 cases. the difference of success rates between the two groups (with and without silicone tubing) was not significant. it seems that creading a patent rhinostomy plays a more important role to achieve desirable results. endonasal endoscopic laser-assisted dacryocystor-hinostomy provides a simple, bloodless, and incisionless alternative to external dacryocytorhinostomy in the majority of the patients suffering from symptoms of lacrimal obstruction.