title: Anastomosis of both posterior and anterior flaps or only anterior flaps in external dacryocystorhinostomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the outcomes of external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) by using two different patterns of flap anastomosis; one only with anterior flap anastomosis and the other with both anterior and posterior flap anastomosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty-four patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were then randomly divided into two groups as follows: those who underwent DCR with both anterior and posterior flap anastomosis (Group 1) and those who underwent DCR with only anterior flap anastomosis (Group 2). Surgical success was defined as patient satisfaction, disappearance of epiphora and lacrimal patency up to 12 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12 months, the DCR with both anterior and posterior flap anastomosis had a success rate of 89.8% (71/79), while the DCR with only anterior flap anastomosis had a success rate of 89.4% (76/85). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anastomosis of posterior flaps does not seem to affect success rate of external DCR. Creating only the anterior anastomosis is technically simpler and does not seem to negatively influence the outcome of DCR surgery.
authors.affiliation: Batman State Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Batman, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih Mehmet
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Türkcü
authors.forename: Veysi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oner
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taş
authors.forename: Fuat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alakuş
authors.forename: Yalçın
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Işcan
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome