Clinical efficacy comparison of low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation and Nd:YAG laser in treating recurrent acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation (coblation) and Nd:YAG laser in treating recurrent nasolacrimal duct obstruction. A prospective study was performed on patients who agreed to be treated with coblation or Nd:YAG laser for recurrent nasolacrimal duct obstruction after failed lacrimal Nd:YAG laser combined with silicone intubation. The visual analogue scale (VAS) pain grade was assessed at baseline, immediately, and 3 and 7 days after surgery. The degree of watering, lacrimal passage irrigation, and complications were also evaluated 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Ninety-five patients who met the criteria for recurrent nasolacrimal duct obstruction from February 2018 to February 2019 were included in this study, with 46 patients receiving coblation and 49 patients Nd:YAG laser. The intraoperative and postoperative (3 days after surgery) VAS pain grades of the patients who received coblation were significantly lower than those who received Nd:YAG laser (P < 0.001). The number of patients in the coblation group who achieved complete clinical relief (no epiphora symptoms with fluent lacrimal passage irrigation) was significantly larger than that in the lacrimal Nd:YAG laser group at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery (P = 0.033, P = 0.006, P = 0.003, respectively). During the follow-up period, there were no unexpected complications in either group. Compared with Nd:YAG laser, coblation performed well in alleviating pain and maintaining sustained disease relief and may therefore be an alternative to conventional laser or dacryocystorhinostomy surgery in the management of recurrent nasolacrimal duct obstruction.