Outcomes of Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy in Patients Receiving Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Thyroid Carcinoma

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of endonasal or external dacryocystorhinostomy in patients who underwent radioiodine therapy due to thyroid cancer. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively clinical and microbiological records of patients who had endonasal or external dacryocystorhinostomy after taking radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancer between January 2006 and December 2012. RESULTS: Twenty-three female adult patients with an average age of 50 years (range, 25 to 72 years) were identified. Seven patients underwent unilateral surgery and 16 had bilateral surgery. Among 39 eyes, 1 eye had combined nasal septoplasty, 3 eyes had external dacryocystorhinostomy and 36 eyes had endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy. Dacryocystorhinostomy was performed within 12 months after the last 131I dose in 3 cases and 2 (5%) presented with the symptom of epiphora. The major cause of symptomatic recurrence was restenosis of the lacrimal nasal mucosa due to the formation of scar tissue, thus, the patients underwent revision surgeries. The remaining 37 of the 39 eyes (95%) showed improvement of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients who underwent dacryocystorhinostomy after 131I therapy due to thyroid cancer showed successful outcomes, especially after more than 1 year post-operatively. The major cause of nasolacrimal duct obstruction was a scar tissue formation in the nasal cavity mucosa.

Comparison of Early Clinical Result of Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty Using FSlaser Versus Manual Trephine

PURPOSE: To compare outcomes of femtosecond laser-enabled deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (IE-DALK) versus manual trephine using deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (Manual DALK, M-DALK). METHODS: Seventeen eyes from 17 patients underwent manual deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty, and femtosecond laser-enabled deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty was performed in 13 eyes of 13 patients. Postoperative clinical outcomes such as best corrected visual acuity, refractive astigmatism, keratometric astigmatism, endothelial cell density were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean log MAR best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) was 0.31 +/- 0.17, 0.23 +/- 0.15, 0.18 +/- 0.14 in the IE-DALK group, and 0.55 +/- 0.41, 0.45 +/- 0.28, 0.35 +/- 0.22 (p = 0.056, p = 0.025, p = 0.313) in the M-DALK group at postoperative 2, 4, and 6 months respectively. The mean keratometric cylinder was 5.35 +/- 1.57, 4.24 +/- 1.97, 3.65 +/- 1.31 in the IE-DALK, 8.32 +/- 2.75, 6.80 +/- 2.50, 4.54 +/- 1.25 (p = 0.031, p = 0.041, p = 0.370) in the M-DALK group at postoperative 2, 4, and 6 months respectively. Endothelial cell counts in the two groups did not differ significantly at postoperative 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: The IE-DALK showed better results in BSCVA and keratometric astigmatism in the early postoperative period, in comparison with the M-DALK, and can be considered as a valuable method in deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty.