title: Outcomes of dacryocystorhinostomy in patients with head and neck tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) in patients with head and neck tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical records of all 31 patients with head and neck tumors who underwent DCR for nasolacrimal duct blockage at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center between 1999 and 2003 were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tumor diagnoses were squamous cell carcinoma (n = 18), chondrosarcoma (n = 3), sinonasal carcinoma (n = 2), adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 2), sinonasal papilloma (n = 2), esthesioneuroblastoma (n = 1); hemangiopericytoma (n = 1); ameloblastoma (n = 1), and osteosarcoma (n = 1). Twenty-eight patients had a maxillectomy or other sinus surgeries, 10 had radiotherapy, and 14 had chemotherapy and radiotherapy before DCR. All 31 patients (35 eyes) experienced improvement of epiphora after DCR, but five patients (six eyes) had recurrent nasolacrimal duct blockage develop during the study period. Two patients had mild wound infections; none had osteoradionecrosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DCR alleviates nasolacrimal duct blockage in most patients with head and neck tumors and is not associated with unusual complications in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Section of Ophthalmology, Department of Plastic Surgery, Unit 443, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diba
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saadati
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esmaeli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy; D005004:Ethmoid Bone / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct / Q000601:surgery*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000601:surgery; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome