Surgeon Experience as Predictors of Outcome of Dacryocystorhinostomy Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Dacryocystorhinostomy surgery aims to treat nasolacrimal duct obstruction and are often performed by general ophthalmologists in developing countries. The aim of this study is to estimate the clinical burden, surgeon's experience, and outcome of dacryocystorhinostomy surgery. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of Nepalese Ophthalmologists registered with the Nepal Ophthalmic Society was conducted after ethical clearance from Nepal Health Research Council. The survey form consisted of a single mail-shot questionnaire information including the age and experience, average case per month, and participant-reported post-operative complications and failures. Data were entered onto Microsoft excel (Microsoft Corp) and analyzed using SPSS 22.0. The data were presented in graphical and tabular format and appropriate statistical tools were employed for the analysis. RESULTS: Out of 300 practicing ophthalmologist, 135 (45%) comprising male 60 (44.4%) and female 75(55.6%) responded to the survey. Majority of respondents were general ophthalmologists (37 ,41.6%) followed by oculoplastic surgeons (27,30.3%) and other subspecialties (25,28.1%). More than 70% respondents perform 1-10 surgeries /month and only 3% perform >50 surgeries /month. The success rate of 75-90% was reported by 45(50%) respondents whereas > 90% success rate by 41 (46.1%). More than 80% surgeons experienced an infection rate of <1% regardless of the intubation status. CONCLUSIONS: This survey revealed huge differences in surgery practice patterns among ophthalmologists in Nepal. The surgical success rate and post-operative infection rate depends upon surgeon experience. Moreover, uniform surgery protocols and training budding ophthalmologists/ young Oculoplastic surgeons in the best modern dacryocystorhinostomy surgery are required.

Clinical characteristics and cytological changes in mucinous obstruction diagnosed by dacryoendoscopy.

To analyze the clinical characteristics of mucinous obstruction diagnosed by dacryoendoscopy and compared the cytological changes with membranous obstruction using a modified liquid-based thin prep cytology method. A retrospective chart review was conducted on 53 eyes of 51 patients with mucus obstruction based on dacryoendoscopic findings from January 2022 to October 2022. Liquid-based thin-prep cytology was performed by irrigating the inside of the nasolacrimal drainage system with saline during dacryoendoscopy-guided silicone tube intubation. Pathological findings were analyzed through a comparison of mucinous obstruction with membranous obstruction as determined by dacryoendoscopic findings. The modified liquid-based thin prep cytology technique had a higher cytology detection rate across all cases. Mucinous obstruction exhibited a significantly higher number of successful canalicular irrigation test cases compared to membranous obstruction. In mucinous obstruction, epithelial squamous cells were more frequently detected in pre-sac obstruction, whereas columnar epithelial cells were predominant in post-sac obstruction. Inflammatory cells showed a stronger correlation with primary change and post-sac obstruction. Bacterial colonies were observed exclusively in cases of mucinous obstruction. The use of a modified liquid-based thin prep cytology method enables the examination of histopathological changes in the lacrimal passage in primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO), particularly in cases of mucinous obstruction, without the need for invasive biopsies. These findings enhance the understanding of the etiopathogenesis of mucinous obstruction, complementing knowledge of membranous obstruction in PANDO.

Long-term outcomes of modified transcanalicular diode laser dacryocystorhinostomy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the long-term outcomes of modified transcanalicular diode laser dacryocystorhinostomy in a large cohort of patients affected by primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. METHODS: This study, conducted from January 17 to June 2022, encompassed 141 patients (159 procedures) who underwent modified transcanalicular diode laser dacryocystorhinostomy (MT-DCR). The procedure employed an 810-nm diode laser. Patients were monitored for at least a year after the intervention. Anatomical success was determined by ostium patency upon irrigation, while functional success referred to epiphora resolution. Parameters studied included patient demographics, procedure duration, complications, and both anatomical and functional success. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, with results considered significant at a 95% confidence interval (p≤0.05). RESULTS: A total of 159 lacrimal drainage systems (141 patients: 112 women and 29 men) were included in this study. Among them, 18 underwent bilateral procedures. The average patient age was 58 years (range: 34-91 years), and the average surgical duration was 24 minutes (range: 18-35 minutes). One year after the surgery, MT-DCR exhibited anatomical and functional success rates of 84.9% (135/159) and 83% (132/159), respectively. CONCLUSION: MT-DCR achieved an anatomical success rate of 84.9%, reflecting an excellent outcome. However, further extensive studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are necessary to substantiate these findings.

Dynamic viscosity of the wall of the lacrimal sac in disorders of the patency of the lacrimal ducts.

PURPOSE: To assess the dynamic viscosity of the lacrimal sac wall in patients with various origins of lacrimal duct obstruction. METHODS: The study was performed in 35 cases: 21 cases with primary nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) and 14 cases with secondary nasolacrimal duct obstruction after radioiodine therapy (SALDO). The study of biomechanical properties of the lacrimal sac was carried out using a test bench. The principle of the study was to indent the sample at a given speed and record the data obtained from the sensor of the force transmitted to the sample. The area under the curve (AUC) and the peak viscosity were calculated. A qualitative characteristic of the obtained curve was given. RESULTS: Median AUC in patients with PANDO was 17 × 106 [6 × 106; 19 × 106] N/m2 × s, in patients with SALDO 21 × 106 [13 × 106; 25 × 106] N/m2 × s. Intergroup differences were statistically significant (p = 0,048). The median peak viscosity in PANDO patients was 29 × 106 [25 × 106; 35 × 106] N/m2, in patients with SALDO 32 × 106 [21 × 106; 41 × 106] N/m2. The qualitative characteristics of the obtained curves differed. CONCLUSION: Biomechanical properties of the lacrimal sac may vary depending on the cause of obliteration of the lacrimal ducts. The integrated dynamic viscosity is significantly higher in SALDO patients due to exposure to radioiodine compared to that in PANDO patients.

Alterations of Lacrimal Sac Microbiota in Failed Dacryocystorhinostomy: The Lacriome Paper 6.

PURPOSE: To study the metagenomics of the microbes isolated from the lacrimal sac in patients with failed dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 10 consecutive patients with failed DCR. Lacrimal sac samples were obtained for metagenomic analysis during the revision endoscopic DCR. The samples were collected intraoperatively after a full-length lacrimal sac marsupialization and immediately transported on ice to the laboratory. A whole shotgun metagenome sequencing was performed on the IlluminaTM platform following DNA extraction and library preparation. The downstream analysis of the samples was performed using various software packaged in the Squeeze Metapipeline v1.3.0 and marker gene-based metagenomic phylogenetic analysis using MetaPhlAn4. RESULTS: The five major phyla identified across the samples of failed DCR include Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Fusobacteria (Figure 1). The prevalent species include Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas juntendi, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Acinetobacter ursingii, Citrobacter koseri, and Cutibacterium acnes (Figure 2). Among the other organisms identified, few were from genera candida and mezorhizobium. Among the viruses, the most abundant was the BeAn 58058 virus. It was interesting to note the occasional presence of plasmodium and toxoplasma species. The functional category distribution of KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) data showed microbial metabolism to be the most involved function, followed by cellular processes. CONCLUSION: This is the first whole metagenome sequencing of the lacrimal sac contents from failed DCR patients. The organisms identified varied significantly from those isolated from patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) using similar techniques and reflect altered lacrimal microbiota in surgically unsuccessful DCRs.

scRNA-Seq: First Atlas and Cellular Landscape of Lacrimal Sac: Implications in Primary Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction Pathogenesis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the transcriptional changes of individual cellular components in the lacrimal sac in patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) and attempt to construct the first lacrimal sac cellular atlas to elucidate the potential mechanisms that may drive the disease pathogenesis. Methods: Lacrimal sac samples were obtained intra-operatively during the endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EnDCR) procedure from five patients. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed to analyze each individual cell population including epithelial and immune cells during the early inflammatory and late inflammatory phases of the disease. Results: Eleven cell types were identified among 25,791 cells. T cells and B cells were the cell populations with the greatest variation in cell numbers between the two phases and were involved in immune response and epithelium migration-related pathways. The present study showed that epithelial cells highly expressed the genes of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and were involved in influencing the inflammation, neutrophil chemotaxis, and migration during the late inflammatory stage. Enhanced activity of CXCLs-CXCRs between the epithelial cells and neutrophils was noted by the cell-cell communication analysis and is suspected to play a role in inflammation by recruiting more neutrophils. Conclusions: The study presents a comprehensive single-cell landscape of the lacrimal sac cells in different phases of PANDO. The contribution of T cells, B cells, and epithelial cells to the inflammatory response, and construction of the intercellular signaling networks between the cells within the lacrimal sac has further enhanced the present understanding of the PANDO pathogenesis.

Comparative study of surgical outcomes regarding tear meniscus area and high-order aberrations between two different interventional methods for primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

PURPOSE: To compare endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (EN-DCR) with sheath-guided dacryoendoscopic probing and bicanalicular intubation (SG-BCI) by evaluating tear meniscus area (TMA) and total high-order aberrations (HOAs) for primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO). METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed 56 eyes of 42 patients (7 men, 35 women; age, 72.7±13.1 years) who underwent EN-DCR or SG-BCI for PANDO in Toyama University Hospital from February 2020 to June 2022. In the EN-DCR and SG-BCI groups, we measured the patency of the lacrimal passage, preoperative and postoperative TMA, and HOAs of the central 4 mm of the cornea using optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), six months postoperatively. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between preoperative TMA and preoperative HOAs in all cases. Postoperative patency of lacrimal passage was 100% in the EN-DCR and 80.8% in the SG-BCI group. There was a significant difference in the number of passages between the two groups (p = 0.01). Preoperative TMA and HOAs showed a significant postoperative decrease in both groups (EN-DCR group: p<0.01, p<0.01, SG-BCI group: p<0.01, p=0.03, respectively). We then calculated the rate of change of preoperative and postoperative TMA and HOAs and compared them between the two groups. The rate of change was significantly higher in the EN-DCR group than that in the SG-BCI group (TMA, p=0.03; HOAs, p=0.02). CONCLUSION: Although both EN-DCR and SG-BCI are effective for PANDO, our results suggest that EN-DCR is more effective in improving TMA and HOAs.

Early Endonasal Dacryocystorhinostomy for Acute Dacryocystitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the outcomes of early endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) with delayed DCR in the treatment of acute dacryocystitis (AD). METHODS: A comprehensive electronic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases was conducted up to November 11, 2023. Data synthesis was performed using Review Manager 5.4, and forest plots were generated for each outcome measure. Potential publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger's test. RESULTS: Six studies involving 288 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the success rate of early endonasal DCR was comparable to that in the delayed DCR group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81-2.85, P = .19). Furthermore, in comparison with the delayed DCR group, early endonasal DCR significantly reduced the time for medial canthus swelling resolution (mean differences [MD] = -4.92, 95% CI: -5.46 to 4-.37, P < .00001) and complete resolution of symptoms (MD = -17.70, 95% CI: -23.88 to -11.52, P < .00001). CONCLUSION: Primary early endonasal DCR seems to be a promising and favorable approach for managing AD with comparable efficacy and faster relief of symptoms compared to conventional delayed DCR.

Probing versus primary nasal endoscopy for the treatment of congenital dacryocystoceles.

PURPOSE: To compare outcomes and complications of three surgical techniques for the treatment of congenital dacryocystoceles: nasolacrimal probing and irrigation (P+I), P+I plus nasal endoscopy (NE) with intranasal cyst marsupialization, and primary NE with intranasal cyst marsupialization. METHODS: The medical records of children ≤2 years of age at a single academic center with a diagnosis of dacryocystocele from 2012 to 2022 were retrospectively identified and reviewed. The primary outcome was resolution of the dacryocystocele (ie, elimination of the medial canthal mass and resolution of tearing or discharge) after a single procedure ("primary success"). Surgical techniques were compared using exact logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 54 patients, 21 (39%) underwent P+I, 23 (43%) underwent P+I plus nasal endoscopy, and 10 (18%) underwent primary NE. Primary success was 76% for P+I and 100% for the other two cohorts. Most patients (89%) who underwent P+I received general anesthesia compared with none who underwent primary nasal endoscopy. Most complications were related to the use of general anesthesia, with a complication rate of 10% for P+I, 48% for P+I plus NE, and 0% for primary NE. Most P+I procedures required hospital admission compared to half of primary NE procedures. CONCLUSIONS: In our study cohort, primary NE provided good outcomes and was associated with a lower complication rate than P+I with or without NE.

The evaluation of nasolacrimal duct injury in Le Fort I osteotomy patients / Evaluación de la lesión del conducto nasolagrimal en pacientes con osteotomía Le Fort I

Background: Although Le Fort I surgeries are safe and successful procedures; nasolacrimal duct injuries may be observed due to these surgeries. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of nasolacrimal duct injury in Le Fort I osteotomy patients. Material and Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study consisting of patients who underwent Le Fort I osteotomies between 2017 and 2021 in the Erciyes University Faculty of Dentistry. The primary predictor variables were the distance of the nasolacrimal canal to the outer cortex of the maxilla and the nasal floor, as well as the superior-inferior level of the superiorly positioned screw inserted in the maxilla aperture region relative to the nasolacrimal canal. The outcome variable was the presence of a nasolacrimal duct injury. Mann Whitney U test was used for quantitative variables between the two groups. A Pearson chi-squared analysis was used to compare categorical data. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: A total of 290 nasolacrimal canals were evaluated in 145 patients, 87 females, and 58 males. The mean age was 23.47± 6.67. There was a statistically significant relationship between screw level and nasolacrimal canal perforation (p<0,001). The distance between the most anterior border of the nasolacrimal canal and the outer cortical of the maxilla was significantly less in the perforation group (p<0,001). The fixation screw was significantly closer to the nasolacrimal canal in the perforation group (p<0,001). Conclusions: In Le Fort I surgery, nasolacrimal duct injury may occur during screw fixation to the aperture region. Superiorly positioned fixation screws in the aperture region may damage the nasolacrimal canal. In patients where the nasolacrimal canal is close to the outer cortex, care should be taken when applying the fixation screws to the aperture region to avoid damaging the canal.(AU)

Two-electron oxidized polyphenol chemistry-inspired superhydrophilic drug-carrying coatings for the construction of multifunctional nasolacrimal duct stents.

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction due to infection, inflammation, or excessive fibroblast proliferation may result in persistent tearing, intraocular inflammation, or even blindness. In this study, surface engineering techniques are applied to nasolacrimal duct stents for the first time. Based on the functioning of marine mussels, "one-pot" and "stepwise" methods were employed to construct a novel multifunctional superhydrophilic PDA/RAP coating using dopamine and rapamycin. Micron-sized rapamycin crystals combined with nano-sized polydopamine particles form a micro-nano topographical structure. Therefore, acting synergistically with in situ-generated hydrophilic groups (amino, carboxyl, and phenolic hydroxyl), they impart excellent and long-lasting superhydrophilicity to the nasolacrimal duct stent. The PDA/RAP coating effectively maintained the stability of the initial microenvironment during stent implantation by inhibiting the onset of acute inflammation and infection during the early stages of implantation. Meanwhile, the rapamycin crystals, supported by the superhydrophilic platform, exhibited a sustained-release capability that helped them to better exert their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-fibroblast proliferative properties, ensuring conducive conditions for the rapid repair of nasolacrimal duct epithelial cells, verified by a series of experiments. In conclusion, the PDA/RAP hydrophilic coating has anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, antibacterial, and antithrombotic properties, offering a new strategy to address restenosis following clinical nasolacrimal duct stent implantation.

Primary Lacrimal Sac Tumors with Extension into Vicinity: Outcomes with Endoscopy-Assisted Modified Weber-Ferguson's Approach.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of endoscopy-assisted modified Weber-Ferguson's approach in the management of primary lacrimal sac tumors with extension into the neighboring tissues. METHODS: A retrospective interventional study was performed on all patients with lacrimal sac tumors treated with the endoscopy-assisted modified Weber-Ferguson approach between January 2010 and June 2022 at the Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, China. Data assessed include demographics, clinical presentations, imaging features, surgical techniques, histopathology, adjuvant modalities of management, complications, and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 13 patients were included in the analysis. Epiphora and palpable mass lesion were the presenting complaint in 84.6% (11/13) of the patients. Nearly half of the patients (46.1%, 6/13) were misdiagnosed as lacrimal duct obstruction. All the lacrimal sac tumors in the present series showed uneven enhancement on T1-weighted MRI imaging. Postoperatively, 84.6% (11/13) patients recovered well with excellent esthetics and were disease-free after a mean follow-up of 58.6 months. Two patients who underwent additional exenteration developed recurrence and succumbed (at 41 and 96 months follow up) while they were on palliative chemoradiation. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic-assisted modified Weber-Fergusson surgical approach is effective in providing better visibility and accessibility to lacrimal sac tumors with extension into neighboring tissue.

Comparing the diagnostic accuracy of MR dacryocystography (MRD) and dacryoscintigraphy (DSG) in NLDO-related acquired epiphora.

PROPOSE: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of MR dacryocystography (MRD) and dacryoscintigraphy (DSG) in the diagnosis of acquired epiphora related to NLDO. A total of 15 patients with acquired epiphora and suspected NLDO were included in this study. METHODS: All patients underwent MRD and DSG examinations. MRD was performed using a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, while DSG involved injection of a radiotracer into the lacrimal drainage system followed by DSG. The results of both imaging methods were compared with the reference standard that was a combination of clinical examination findings and surgical exploration. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that no abnormal findings were observed in MR-DCG in patients before the Valsalva maneuver. However, after the Valsalva maneuver, stenosis/obstruction at the canal surface was observed in all 15 patients diagnosed by DSG, giving a sensitivity of 100% for canal stenosis. Moreover, the results revealed that among these 15 patients, 9 showed stenosis or simultaneous obstruction at the level of the canal and lacrimal sac, but MR-DCG showed these lesions in only 9 patients, giving a sensitivity of 60%. The specificity of MRD and DSG were 85% and 76.7%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the sensitivity of MRD and DSG (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that MRD has a higher diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of acquired epiphora associated with NLDO compared to DSG. MRD showed significantly higher sensitivity and specificity than DSG. Therefore, MRD can be considered as the preferred imaging modality in the diagnosis of acquired epiphora due to NLDO. By accurately identifying the underlying cause of NLDO, MRD can help determine the most appropriate treatment approach for patients and lead to better outcomes.

Higher incidence of meibomian gland dysfunction in postmenopausal women with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the incidence of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in postmenopausal women with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) and enables ophthalmologists to pay attention to ocular surface damage before surgery. METHODS: 165 postmenopausal women with PANDO and 115 postmenopausal women with a normal lacrimal drainage system were enrolled in this prospective study. Based on the results of lacrimal duct irrigation and age, the participants were further subdivided. The incidence of different severities of MGD in different groups was calculated and analyzed by the chi-squared test. RESULTS: The incidence of MGD in the PANDO group was 81.21%, and in the control group, it was 46.96%, which was significantly higher in the presence of PANDO (p < 0.001). The incidence of severe MGD in the complete and incomplete PANDO groups was higher than that in the control group (all p < 0.05), and no significant differences were observed between the complete and incomplete PANDO groups. The incidence of moderate MGD was significantly higher in the complete PANDO group than in the control group (p < 0.001). When age was considered an independent variable, the results revealed a significant value for patients aged < 70 years (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed a prodominantly high incidence of MGD in postmenopausal women with PANDO, especially in a complete PANDO or aged < 70 years. Ophthalmologists need to pay close attention to MGD in postmenopausal women with PANDO.

Evaluation of the relationship between tear meniscus changes and quality of life outcomes after external dacryocystorhinostomy.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the effects of external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery on tear meniscus parameters and assess its relationship with improvements in quality of life (QoL) in patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO). METHODS: This prospective study included 30 patients diagnosed with NLDO who underwent external DCR surgery. Tear meniscus (TM) parameters, including height, depth and area, were measured using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Lacrimal symptom questionnaire (LacQ), Munk scores and Glasgow benefit inventories (GBI) were collected. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between tear meniscus changes and improvements in QoL. RESULTS: TM height, depth and area decreased from preoperative median measurements (0.09 mm2, 0.37 mm, 0.56 mm) to postoperative median measurements (0.03 mm2, 0.21 mm, 0.30 mm) (p < 0.001). Lacrimal symptom scores and Munk scores showed a significant improvement at 3-month postoperatively (p < 0.001). The GBI scores also demonstrated a significant improvement, indicating a positive impact on the patients' QoL. (p < 0.001). A statistically significant correlation was found between the change in TM parameters and LacQ lacrimal symptom scores. CONCLUSION: External DCR surgery leads to significant improvements in tear meniscus parameters and quality of life outcomes in patients with NLDO. The decreased in TM height and TM area indicates improved tear film dynamics and decreased tear volume, which positively impact the patients' ocular comfort and overall well-being. This study highlights the importance of tear meniscus evaluation as a potential market for assessing the success of DCR surgery and its impact on patients' QoL.

Surgical outcomes of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy for eyes with nasolacrimal duct obstruction via tear meniscus height evaluation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association of tear meniscus height (TMH) with clinical outcomes of patients who underwent endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy. METHODS: We recruited 304 patients from two institutes. The TMH was measured using anterior segment optical coherence tomography before surgery. All patients underwent endoscopic DCR with lacrimal intubation stent insertion. The lacrimal stent was removed 2 months after surgery. The TMH was measured at 2 months and 12 months after surgery. Improvements in epiphora were assessed using a visual analogue scale (range, 0-2). Recurrence was determined based on lacrimal irrigation and endoscopic evaluation results. RESULTS: All patients experienced improvements in subjective symptoms 2 months after surgery. The mean TMH also decreased significantly compared with that before surgery. During the follow-up period, four patients experienced recurrence. The mean TMH 12 months after surgery was significantly lower than that before surgery. The rate of change in the TMH was significantly associated with the use of a dacryoendoscope during sheath-guided lacrimal stent intubation at all time points. Of the 251 patients who were followed up at 12 months after surgery, three reported recurrences, and 17 reported mild improvement of epiphora. The rate of change in the TMH was significantly associated with epiphora improvement. Height was also associated with epiphora improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic DCR is an acceptable surgical procedure for managing nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Sheath-guided lacrimal stent intubation using a dacryoendoscope resulted in a greater reduction in postoperative TMH compared to the blind insertion technique, which may lead to favorable clinical outcomes.

Retrograde Flow of Fluid Through the Nasolacrimal Duct System Under General Anesthesia: A Case Report.

This case report describes a rare incident of fluid exhibiting retrograde flow from the nasopharynx through the nasolacrimal duct and accumulating within the eye guard while under general anesthesia. The patient was in a steep Trendelenburg position for several hours and received multiple liters of intravenous fluid. The patient did not have a history of sinusitis, sinus surgery, cocaine use, dacryostenosis and dacryocystitis, or nasolacrimal duct irrigation and probing. This case provides insight into the potential ophthalmic implications of surgical and anesthetic management. While the patient fortunately had no complications, this case also underscores the importance of intraoperative vigilance.

Orbital Abscess Secondary to Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction in an Extremely Preterm Infant.

Orbital abscesses are rarely encountered in children younger than 1 year. The literature is limited to isolated case reports and a few case series. Most such cases are reported in infants born at term, with the earliest reported gestational birth age at 34 weeks. Children are more prone to orbital cellulitis compared with adults due to their underdeveloped sinuses and immature immune systems, and the origin is most commonly an ethmoid sinus infection. Orbital cellulitis secondary to dacryocystitis is even less common, with only a few isolated cases reported in infants and children. Herein, the authors present a case of a large extraconal and intraconal orbital abscess secondary to nasolacrimal duct obstruction and dacryocystitis in an extremely preterm infant. We discuss the diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of this challenging case.

Analysis of the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic nasal dacryocystorhinostomy in the remedy of chronic dacryocystitis.

To estimate the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic nasal dacryocystorhinostomy in the remedy of chronic dacryocystitis. The clinical data of 105 subjects with chronic dacryocystitis enrolled into our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The subjects were distinguished into nasal endoscopic group (endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy; i.e., 51 cases) according to their surgical methods and external-route group (external-route dacryocystorhinostomy; i.e., 54 cases). The therapeutic effect, lacrimal gland secretion function, tear film stability, degree of epiphora, lacrimal passage patency, complications, and recurrence rate were contrasted between the 2 groups. The nasal endoscopic group exhibited a higher effective remedy rate (98.04%) compared with the external-route group (83.33%). Three months postoperation, both groups showed improvements in lacrimal gland secretion function and tear film stability, with the nasal endoscopic group demonstrating more significant enhancement in lacrimal gland secretion function than the external-route group. Six months postoperation, a reduction in the degree of epiphora was observed in both groups, with the nasal endoscopic group displaying a more pronounced decrease in epiphora severity and a higher lacrimal passage patency rate than the external-route group. Furthermore, the nasal endoscopic group experienced lower incidences of postoperative complications and recurrence rates. Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy is safe and effective in the remedy of chronic dacryocystitis.

Anisometropia and Amblyopia Outcomes in Early Versus Late Resolution of Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction in Older Infants.

PURPOSE: Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction is a known risk factor for amblyopia and anisometropia. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the rate of anisometropia and amblyopia development differed based on the age at CNLDO resolution in older infants. METHODS: This retrospective chart review at a single tertiary children's hospital from 2007 to 2017 compared early versus late spontaneous resolution (cutoff 12 months) and intervention (cutoff 15 months) groups presenting at ≥9 months of age, comparing visual outcomes, including anisometropia (≥1 D of sphere or cylinder) and amblyopia (≥2 levels difference in Teller acuity or optotype testing). Parents/guardians were contacted by phone for missing data on spontaneous resolution or intervention status. RESULTS: A total of 462 patients were included (152 early; 310 late group). The early group presented at a median age of 12.0 (interquartile range: 10.0, 13.0) months, while the late group presented at 21.0 (interquartile range: 15.0, 32.0) months. Unilateral disease occurred in 62% and 59%, respectively. Anisometropia was seen in (12/102) 12% of early versus (25/243) 10% of late patients (p = 0.686, 95% CI: -0.059, 0.088), and amblyopia in (4/131) 3% of early versus (14/286) 5% of late patients (p = 0.322, 95% CI: -0.061, 0.018). In patients presenting <24 months without undergoing surgery, spontaneous resolution occurred in 76% between 12 and 24 months (n = 41). CONCLUSIONS: Anisometropia and amblyopia rates did not significantly differ between early and delayed intervention for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in this retrospective cohort presenting beyond 9 months of age to a children's hospital. This study found frequent late spontaneous resolution.