title: Instrument to test patency of lacrimal drainage system.
abstract: The lacrimal drainage system drains fluid that exists normally on the surface of the eye into the nasal cavity. This paper describes a hand-held, personal-computer-based instrument to quantitatively estimate the resistance to fluid flow through the lacrimal drainage system. This resistance measurement is proposed as a possible means to diagnose blockage of the system and to verify the degree of change in resistance after clinical treatment. The instrument system consists of a hand-held syringe attached to pressure and flow transducers. Resistance is calculated as the ratio of differential pressure to flow rate and is displayed in real time on a computer monitor.
authors: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown.
authors: C F
authors: CF
authors: Stanley
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Masri
mesh_terms: D001698:Biomedical Engineering; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D014903:West Virginia