A silastic sheet found during endoscopic transnasal dacryocystorhinostomy for acute dacryocystitis

Large Number of Eyelashes in the Lacrimal Sac Found by Dacryoendoscopy: A Case Report

Foreign objects sometimes enter the lacrimal sac. Here, we report the case of a patient with many comb-shaped eyelashes in the lacrimal sac and discuss the potential of using dacryoendoscopy to detect and remove foreign bodies from the lacrimal apparatus. A 65-year-old woman with a teary eye underwent dacryoendoscopy. There was no abnormality in the canaliculi. The internal ostium was blocked by a large number of black, comb-shaped eyelashes. Numerous bunched eyelashes covered with small white debris were found in the upper part of the lacrimal sac. No eyelash bundles were present from the lower lacrimal sac to the nasolacrimal duct, and the mucosa was normal. The saline was able to pass through; however, the lower part of the nasolacrimal duct was narrowed into a funnel shape. We widened it with a sheath while observing the endoscopy images. Eyelashes were flushed from the lacrimal sac through the nasolacrimal duct using the sheath and saline flow. A lacrimal tube was placed for 2 months and removed, and then the patient healed without dacryocystorhinostomy.

An update on endoscopic mechanical and powered dacryocystorhinostomy in acute dacryocystitis and lacrimal abscess

PURPOSE

To provide a brief review of the literature on the utility and outcomes of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) in patients with acute dacryocystitis (ADC) and lacrimal abscess.

METHODS

The authors performed a PubMed search of all articles published in English on endoscopic powered or mechanical DCR performed during the stage of acute dacryocystitis. Data captured include demographics, clinical presentations, time interval to surgery, intraoperative challenges, post-operative course, complications and outcomes. Specific emphasis was laid on addressing the intra-operative challenges and post-operative outcomes.

RESULTS

Increased intra-operative bleeding is a common finding. The use of mitomycin C and silicone intubation are not uncommon and are not reported to have negative influence on the outcomes of surgery. The general consensus is to initiate antibiotics immediately or a day before surgery and continue them in the post-operative period. Symptomatic pain relief was achieved very early (immediate to <3 days) and complete resolution was usually achieved in a week's time. The overall anatomical success rates varied from 81.8 to 96.2% and functional success from 72.7 to 96.2%. Cicatricial closure of the ostium was a common cause of failure.

CONCLUSION

Primary endoscopic DCR appears to be an effective modality in the management of ADC and lacrimal abscess, and results in a rapid resolution of inflammation while achieving comparable surgical success with a traditional approach of conservative management with or without drainage and 2nd stage external DCR.

Retained Herrick Plug

A 79-year-old female with a history of keratoconjunctivitis sicca presented with several years of epiphora of both eyes. Thirteen years earlier, intracanalicular Herrick lacrimal plugs (Lacrimedics, Eastsound, WA, USA) had been placed in both eyes to treat her dry eye syndrome. After 13 years the patient felt the epiphora was intolerable and underwent endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) of the left, then the right side. Intraoperatively, during the right endoscopic DCR, a Herrick lacrimal plug was found in the common canaliculus into the lacrimal sac. Postoperatively, the patient did well with improved epiphora. The Herrick plug is designed to be intracanalicular, and this case illustrates that the plug can migrate and be retained for many years. Collared punctal plugs have a lower risk of this type of complication.

A Surprise in the Lacrimal Sac

To present a case with recurrent dacryocystitis as an unusual complication of medial orbital wall fracture repair with cartilage tissue graft. A 20-year-old male had facial trauma and underwent surgery to reconstruct right medial orbital wall fracture. During follow-up, he presented with continuous epiphora, mucopurulent discharge from the right eye. A thorough history taking indicated that medial orbital fracture was reconstructed with postauricular cartilage. We planned a standard external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). During the creation of lacrimal sac flaps, hard tissue was noted in the lacrimal sac. This tissue was excised and sent for pathological examination. The pathological examination revealed cartilage tissue. There were no further ipsilateral symptoms or complications after DCR. In patients with lacrimal system injury related to orbital wall fracture, iatrogenic foreign bodies in the lacrimal sac should be considered in patients with recurrent dacryocystitis who had reconstructive surgery for facial and orbital trauma.

Long-term outcomes of powered endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy in acute dacryocystitis

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is rapidly gaining recognition as a primary modality of management in acute dacryocystitis and lacrimal abscess. The purpose of the present study is to report long-term outcomes of powered endoscopic DCR in cases of acute dacryocystitis.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective interventional case series.

METHODS

Twenty-one powered endoscopic DCRs were performed in 21 patients presenting with acute dacryocystitis. All cases were operated by a single surgeon (m.j.a.) using earlier published techniques. All lacrimal systems were intubated for 6 weeks. A minimum follow-up of 1 year after stent removal was considered for final analysis. Main outcome measures were the anatomical and functional success of the surgical procedure.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients at presentation was 31.8 years. A total of 14.3% (3/21) were pediatric patients with known history of persistent congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO), and 9.5% (2/21) had a history of external DCR in the past. All patients received postoperative antibiotics. Additional procedures included distal canalicular trephination, septoplasty, and middle turbinoplasty in one patient each. All cases showed resolution of pain and swelling at 1 week follow-up. At the mean follow-up of 15.4 months, anatomical success was achieved in 85.7% of the patients (18/21), and functional success was achieved in 80.9% (17/21).

CONCLUSION

Powered endoscopic DCR is a useful modality in the management acute dacryocystitis, with good outcomes that are maintained over a long duration of time.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4. Laryngoscope, 126:551-553, 2016.

Recurrent dacryocystitis and lacrimocutaneous fistula caused by a retained Griffiths' collar button stent

A 42-year-old man presented with a white plastic-like material exposed in the left medial canthal area, with a fistula and purulent discharge. He had undergone endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy 7 years earlier for left eye epiphora; he had persistent postoperative epiphora and recurrent dacryocystitis despite multiple drainage attempts and antibiotics elsewhere. Computed tomography showed bilateral enlarged cystic lacrimal sacs, with a well-defined contoured tunnel-like hole at the center of the left sac. Treatment included excision of the foreign body, which was a Griffiths' collar button nasolacrimal stent, excision of the fistula tract, and revision dacryocystorhinostomy with implantation of bicanalicular silicone stent. He recovered with no further symptoms or complications. This case highlights the importance of follow-up for removal of an implanted Griffiths' stent after dacryocystorhinostomy. Patients with recurrent dacryocystitis may benefit from a detailed history of previous surgery, careful examination, and imaging to evaluate for endogenous and exogenous foreign bodies such as lacrimal sac calculi, and retained lacrimal sac stents.

Free-floating pyogenic granuloma of the lacrimal sac

The authors report a 13-month-old girl with chronic dacryocystitis, and history of three times probing and once inferior turbinate infracture. She underwent dacryocystorhinostomy due to failure of previous procedures. During surgery a free floating reddish mass was extracted from the lacrimal sac. Histopathologic examination revealed the mass to be a pyogenic granuloma.