Acute Dacryocystitis with Empyema of the Lacrimal Sac: Immediate Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy is Justified?

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (endoDCR) in the treatment of acute dacryocystitis with lacrimal sac empyema (ADLSE). Methods: Design: Single center cohort study. Setting: Academic tertiary center. Patients: Twenty-one consecutive patients who underwent endoDCR for ADLSE between August 2005 and December 2012 were included. Main outcome measures: The success of the procedure was defined as complete complaint relief and DCR patency. Time from referral to surgery, post-operative complications, and revision surgery data were also reported. Results: The present cohort of patients included 3 males (14.3%) and 18 females (85.7%) (median age: 66 years). Median time between referral and surgery was 0 days (mean: 0.86 days). Median follow-up was 12 months. All patients showed immediate relief from symptoms, with no recurrences of ADSLE. Complete success was achieved in 20 of 21 (95.2%) cases; the only failure was recorded in a patient who had previously undergone radio-iodine treatment. In this case also revision endoDCR was not successful. The only perioperative complication was an epistaxis requiring revision surgery under general anesthesia. The definitive success rate was 95.2% after primary and revision surgery. Conclusions: EndoDCR enables rapid solution of ADSLE with a very high success rate. Immediate surgery minimizes the risk of skin fistulization and/or orbital complications; DCR shrinkage and lacrimal obstruction are unlikely since the procedure is performed on an enlarged sac. In comparison with external DCR, the absence of skin incision in an inflamed and infected field is the main advantage.