%0 Journal Article
%T Long-Term outcomes of pediatric dacryocystorhinostomy in a single medical center- a retrospective study.
%A Ben Ishai M
%A Sternfeld A
%A Schwalb L
%A Dadon J
%A Krubiner M
%A Shochat T
%A Ben Artsi E
%A Soudry E
%A Avisar I
%J Eur J Ophthalmol
%V 0
%N 0
%D 2024 Jan 9
%M 38193193
%F 1.922
%R 10.1177/11206721231225985
%X OBJECTIVE: To examine the long-term success rate of pediatric endoscopic DCR surgery via telephone questionnaires, as determined by patients and their parents.
METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent DCR surgery at the Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel between 2010 and 2020. We performed long-term follow-ups to assess the quality of life, surgical complications, and satisfaction with surgical outcomes.
RESULTS: Our study includes seventy-nine patients with a total of 108 eyes. The mean age at the time of DCR was 7.05 years (Std = 4, min = 0.3, max = 17.7) Mean follow-up time was 5.7 years (Std =2.5, min = 1.4, max = 11.1). Tubes were inserted for a mean of 129 days (Std = 101). Fifty-seven patients (72%) declared they had no complications after surgery, three patients (4%) reported pain after surgery, and 14 patients (17.7%) reported tube extrusion, which occurred 7-21 days after surgery. Forty-four patients (56%) reported no recurrence of symptoms, 29 (37%) complained of mild epiphora, and 18 (23%) reported some ocular discharge. Sixty-eight patients (86%) stated that they did not undergo additional surgery, while the remaining 11 (14%) reported undergoing a revision operation for symptom control. Satisfaction rate (1-7) mean score reported was 6.15 (Std = 1.6). Sixty-two (78%) reported improved quality of life, while 17 (22%) reported no improvement. Our questionnaire results have been compared with the TEARS scores with similar findings.
CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of its etiology, endoscopic DCR surgery in the pediatric population is safe and efficient, with a high long-term patient satisfaction rate, as reported via a telephone questionnaire.