Nasolacrimal duct obstruction classified by dacryoendoscopy and treated with inferior meatal dacryorhinotomy: Part II. Inferior meatal dacryorhinotomy.

PURPOSE: To report the performance of a newly devised technique, inferior meatal dacryorhinotomy (iDR), for membranous PNLDO (lower PNLDO).

DESIGN

Retrospective, nonrandomized clinical trial.

METHODS

Forty cases (37 patients) who ranged in age from 42 to 89 years old with lower PNLDO were treated by iDR, which is intubation that is assisted by dacryoendoscope, nasal endoscope, and radio-frequency scalpel. The obstructed site was incised with a radio-frequency scalpel without osseous ablation, after which silicone tubes were placed temporarily.

RESULTS

Postoperative follow-up evaluation showed that the success rate was 87.5% after 6 months to 2 years.

CONCLUSION

The iDR technique is minimally invasive and effective for lower PNLDO.