Evaluation of the Cometic ignificance of External Dacryocytorhinotomy car

Purpoe To evaluate the ignificance of the urgical car of external dacryocytorhinotomy (DCR) a aeed by the patient. Deign Cro-ectional quetionnaire-baed tudy. Method Two hundred ninety-even external DCR were performed in 263 patient at the private practice of conultant who were attached to the ydney Eye Hopital. tructured quetionnaire were ent to patient, and the repone were evaluated. Patient were aked to ae the viibility of the car and the ignificance of the car to them on a cale of 1 (leat) to 5 (greatet). Reult The average age of patient wa 67.9 ± 16 year, (72% female, 28% male). Ninety-ix percent of the patient were caucaian of Autralian/Wet European decent. ixty-one of 296 car (20.6%) were felt to be viible by patient; 31 car (10.5%) were rated >1 on a cale of 1 to 5 and 12 car (4%) were rated >2. The average age of patient wa highet for thoe patient with inviible car, and the lowet average age wa for thoe with car that were rated >1. A ignificantly higher proportion of female patient complained of marked carring (>1 on a cale of 1 to 5). A ignificantly higher proportion of patient who complained of dicomfort during uture removal alo complained of marked carring. Concluion In view of the low percentage of patient who complained of marked carring, carring hould not be the main ground for deciding the approach to DCR urgery, particularly in older patient. Thee reult are valid for the population that wa tudied and may be different for different racial background.