title: The effect of dacryocystorhinostomy on mucociliary function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  External dacryocystorhinostomy is suspected to cause mucociliary dysfunction by affecting ciliary activity and quality of the mucus. We hypothesized that patients who undergo endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy may also experience mucociliary dysfunction. We evaluated the effects of surgery on mucociliary clearance time in patients who underwent endoscopic dacryocstorhinostomy and external dacryocstorhinostomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four patients were studied: 22 had undergone one-sided endoscopic surgery and 22 had undergone one-sided external surgery for nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Nonoperated sides of the both groups were remained as controls. The saccharin test was used to evaluate the mucociliary clearance time of the both sides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dacryocystorhinostomy, results in prolonged mucociliary clearance times either endoscopic or external approach is performed (P < 0.001, paired t test). There was no significant difference between the mucociliary clearance times after endoscopic and external dacryocystorhinostomy (P = 0.22, Student's t test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dacryocystorhinostomy impairs mucociliary function independent of the type of surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Mustafa Kemal University School of Medicine, Antakya, Turkey. semsettinokuyucu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Semsettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okuyucu
authors.forename: Ertap
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akoglu
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oksuz
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gorur
authors.forename: Safak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dagli