Ultrasonic bone aspirator assisted endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ultrasonic bone aspirator versus traditional powered drill technique for use in endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review.

SETTING: Academic institution.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy from June 2010 through May 2014 was performed. Data were collected from 63 eyes of 63 patients. Recorded data points include: age, gender, etiology of epiphora, procedure type, success rate, need for septoplasty, and length of follow-up. Surgical failure was defined as no improvement in epiphora, postoperative dacryocystitis, or inability to irrigate the lacrimal system post-operatively.

RESULTS: Sixty three consecutive patients underwent endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy. Twenty nine patients underwent powered microdrill DCR (pDCR); 34 patients underwent ultrasonic bone aspirator DCR (uDCR). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of age or gender. The success rates were: pDCR 86.2% and uDCR 94.1% (p=0.4). Concurrent septoplasty was performed in 48% of pDCR patients and 21% of uDCR patients (p=0.03) There was no significant difference in surgical success when septoplasty was controlled for (p=0.39).

CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic bone aspirator dacryocystorhinostomy has a similar success rate to traditional powered microdrill dacryocystorhinostomy.