The Effect of Postoperative Intranasal Steroid in Endonasal Dacryocystorhinostomy

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) has been performed commonly in patients with chronic epiphora due to nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The most frequent cause of DCR failure is obstruction of the osteotomy site due to inflammation and granuloma. We used postoperative nasal steroid spray to suppress inflammation, and growth of granuloma, and to increase the success rate. METHODS: Between November 2002 and August 2003, 48 patients (55 eyes) underwent endonasal DCR in Hanyang University Guri Hospital. The patients were classified into two groups those who took nasal steroid spray and those who did not. RESULTS: Thirteen cases showed recurrent epiphora. The total success rate of endonasal DCR was 76.4% (42/55). The success rate of the steroid group at 83.9% (26/31), was higher than that of the non-steroid group at 66.7% (16/24), but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.20, x2 test). CONCLUSIONS: The nasal steroid spray failed to increase the patency rates in endonasal DCR.