Novel Stent for Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) and Other Surgical Applications

Abstract

Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is an operation for the treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Approaches to this procedure create an approximate 1cm diameter opening in soft and bony tissue separating the lacrimal sac and nose at a region opposite the common canaliculus. Successful outcome is a new patent hole between the two structures that re-establishes a drainage pathway for tears into the nose. The first intranasal and external DCR techniques were described by Caldwell in 1893 and Toti in 1904, respectively (1-2). In 1989, McDonogh and Meiring (3) described the endoscopic transnasal DCR, modifications to which have since been described using yttrium-aluminium-garnet (YAG), argon, carbon dioxide, and KTP lasers (2,4-5). A transcanalicular approach with the neodymium: YAG laser has also been described (6).