Radio-wave surgery in the treatment of dacryocystitis

By improving the existing surgical technologies for dacryocystitis, one enhances the effectiveness of patient rehabilitation. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of radio-wave surgery in the treatment of dacryocystitis and lacrimal sac abscesses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The clinical group consisted of 207 patients ranging in age from 7 to 89 years (the mean age of 41±7.3 years). For 39% of patients this was a repeated treatment, while 9.3% had undergone 4-5 surgical interventions. The following types of surgical interventions were performed: dacryocystorhinostomy with external approach and lacrimal stent placement - 128, dacryocystectomy for stenosing dacryocystitis with lacrimal stent placement - 21, dacryocystectomy without lacrimal stent placement in somatically complicated patients after repeated dissection of the abscess who developed fistula and granulation - 23, and lacrimal sac abscess drainage - 35. In all patients, the treatment involved high-frequency radio-wave surgery (3.8 to 4 MHz). The article contains a detailed description of the four types of interventions and provides an explanation of the choice of electrode, mode and power level. RESULTS: Positive changes were observed in all cases of chronic dacryocystitis and lacrimal sac abscess. The patency of the lacrimal system, including canalicular and nasolacrimal tests, was assessed 6 months after dacryocystorhinostomy. The results were judged positive in all cases despite slowed dye evacuation in 11 cases. The severity of epiphora (Munk scores) decreased from 3.45±0.7 at baseline to 1.0±0.7 (p<0.05). In 5 dacryocystorhinostomy patients the stoma occluded. CONCLUSION: Positive characteristics of radio-wave surgery help increase the effectiveness of surgical treatment of dacryocystitis, improve surgical performance, reduce duration of the procedure and postoperative care, reduce the number of complications, and achieve a better cosmetic effect.