Which statement about DCR is true?

• A. It is an emergency procedure performed in acute NLDO.
• B. It does not involve any incision or exposure of nasal mucosa.
• C. It relies on prosthetic implants to maintain patency.
• D. It bypasses the nasolacrimal duct by creating a new drainage pathway between the lacrimal sac and the nasal cavity.

Answer: (D)

Dacryocystorhinostomy creates a new drainage channel from the lacrimal sac directly into the nasal cavity, bypassing the obstructed nasolacrimal duct. This can be done from outside the eye (external approach) with a skin incision near the inner corner of the eye and bone work to connect to the nasal mucosa, or from inside the nose (endoscopic approach) through the nasal cavity. It's typically an elective procedure, not an emergency. While temporary stents may be used to help keep the pathway open during healing, the essential mechanism is establishing a new bypass route, not relying on implants. Because forming a connection to the nasal mucosa is part of the procedure, the idea that no nasal mucosa exposure occurs is inaccurate.