Dacryocystoplasty, treatment of epiphora with balloon dilatation of the nasolacrimal canal

Dacryocystoplasty ''DCP'' means balloon dilatation of the nasolacrimal canal. This method has been applied to alleviate epiphora with 74 patients (84 eyes) suffering from primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO). A catheter was used, under digital subtraction fluorescopic monitoring, with a balloon diameter of 3 mm with the help of a non traumatising guide wire. Followup ranged from two months to 40 months. In all the cases canulation was performed successfully. Results comparable with those of dacryocysto-rhinostomy ''DCR'' (81%) were achieved. No complication whatsoever occurred. This DCP procedure should be preferred to probing of the nasolacrimal duct and should be carried out first before deciding to proceed to DCR.