RESUMEN
Currently, many patients are referred to our department because of continuous or inflammatory tearing; and the diagnosis is Dacriocystitis. Dacriocystitis is an infection of the lachrymal sac and is treated with External Dacriocystorhinostomy [Ext. D.C.R], an operative approach that has a failure rate ranging from 3% to 15%. Most of the failures are related to the incomplete inspection of the intranasal cavity during the operation. Endoscopic D.C.R. is another approach that has two advantages 1] avoid incision and prevent scar formation. 2] According to the perfect inspection of the intranasal cavity, the success rate is expected to increase. The aim of this study is to compare the success rates of End. D.C.R and Ext. D.C.R. This study tries to complete the previous studies that introduced End. D.C.R as a new approach to surgeons. In the previous studies, End. D.C.R was performed by using of YAG Laser that is expensive and inaccessible; whereas, we performed the procedure by using of suction cautery and punch forceps. For collecting the data, we designed a check list that was filled by one physician. Then the data was analyzed. Each of the groups included 43 patients. According to the statistical analysis, overall 28 males and 58 females underwent one of the operational approaches. The difference between the two groups in the duration of the disease and the patient complaints were not statistically significant On the other hand, the difference between the two groups in the duration of surgical approaches, presentation of tearing, regurgitation and bleeding one week after surgery were not statistically significant. But the presentation of the pain in End. D.C.R was less than in Ext. D.C.R. Three months after surgery, the difference between the two groups in presentation of tearing and open ducts were not statistically significant, but the regurgitation in End D.C.R. was less than Ext. D.C.R. Patient satisfaction of elimination of symptoms is not different, but satisfaction of scar in End. D. C.R is significantly less than Ext.D.C.R. The endoscopic approach appears to have two major benefits against the Ext. D.C.R; first, it avoids an external incision; and second, it allows a perfect view of intranasal cavity at the time of surgery so that a common cause of D.C.R. failure could be avoided. With this approach YAG laser is replaced with suction cautery and punch forceps