Canaliculitis: difficulties in diagnosis, differential diagnosis and comparison between conservative and surgical treatment.
The most important clinical features of canaliculitis include a red, swollen eyelid in the area of the affected canaliculus, a unilateral conjunctivitis, a mucopurulent discharge and in some cases dacryoliths visible in the lacrimal punctum. Conservative therapy was found to be little effective: only 10% of the patients could be cured, 40% showed a recurrence after conservative treatment. 20 patients (50%) were treated by canaliculotomy: 16 of these were cured by this surgical treatment, 4 patients complained of epiphora, although diagnostic syringing showed free lacrimal pathways. The surgical treatment of canaliculitis in combination with conservative therapy yields far better results than conservative therapy alone.
2nd Department of Ophthalmology, Vienna, Austria.
V P
VP
Vécsei
V
V
Huber-Spitzy
E
E
Arocker-Mettinger
F J
FJ
Steinkogler
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003607:Dacryocystitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D015821:Eye Infections, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents