Balloon catheter dilation for treatment of persistent nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
OBJECTIVE
To report the outcome of balloon catheter dilation of the lacrimal duct for treatment of children with persistent nasolacrimal duct obstruction after previous surgery.


METHODS
Interventional case series.


METHODS
Thirty-two consecutive children with a history of persistent nasolacrimal duct obstruction following previous surgery were treated with nasolacrimal duct probing with balloon catheter dilation of the distal nasolacrimal duct. Patients were excluded from this study if they had a history of facial trauma, systemic disorders that involved the lacrimal system, or nasolacrimal duct cysts. Outcomes were considered excellent if the patient had complete symptomatic resolution of epiphora and dacryocystitis and normal tear drainage on examination, good if the patient had only minimal residual symptoms or a minimally delayed dye disappearance test, fair if the patient had moderate residual symptoms or delayed tear drainage, and poor if there was no improvement.


RESULTS
Thirty-two children (20 with bilateral nasolacrimal duct obstruction and 12 with unilateral nasolacrimal duct obstruction) underwent balloon catheter dilation. Overall results were excellent in 9 (28%) patients, good in 15 (47%) patients, fair in 7 (22%) patients, and poor in 1 (3%) patient. Seven patients had undergone more than one previous procedure. Of these patients, 3 had excellent outcomes, 2 had good outcomes, 1 had a fair outcome, and 1 had a poor outcome following balloon catheter dilation.


CONCLUSIONS
Balloon catheter dilation is a safe and generally effective treatment for children with persistent symptoms of nasolacrimal duct obstruction following previous surgery.
Lueder
Gregg T
GT
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, St. Louis Children's Hospital at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. Lueder@vision.wustl.edu
D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000628:therapy*; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome