COMPARISON OF EXTERNAL DCR SURGERY WITH AND WITHOUT INTRAOPERATIVE MITOMYCIN-C APPLICATION

Background and This study is intended to evaluate the results of intraoperative Mitomycin- C application in external D.C.R surgery compared with same results without Mitomycin-C application. Methods and Materials: In this prospective randomized controlled study, a total of 66 eyes diagnosed with acquired Nasolacrimal duct obstruction were randomly divided into a simple external D.C.R group and a Mitomycin-C group in which Mitomycin-C was used during surgery. The surgical procedures in both groups were exactly the same, except that in Mitomycin-C group, a piece of cotton soaked with 0.2 mg/ml Mitomycin-C was applied to osteotomy site for 20 minutes. The symptoms and signs of the two groups in a 7-month follow-up were evaluated. In the simple D.C.R group, 75.8% of the patients remained Epiphora free after 7 months of follow-up; while in the Mitomycin-C group, 94% of patients were reported to be Epiphora-free. There was a significant difference between the two groups: the potency rate in simple group in 72.7% compared with 94% in the Mitomycin-C group. In the simple group, 69.7% having a normal tear Meniscus level compared with 91% in Mitomycin-C group. There were no severe complications except for one patient with delayed epistaxies and two patients with delayed wound healing in Mitomycin-C group. Intraoperative Mitomycin-C application is effective in increasing the success rate of D.C.R surgery and no significant complication results from its use.