Bilateral nasolabial cysts associated with recurrent dacryocystitis.
OBJECTIVE
Nasolabial cysts are rare, nonodontogenic, soft-tissue, developmental cysts occurring inferior to the nasal alar region. They are thought to arise from remnants of the nasolacrimal ducts and they are frequently asymptomatic. We report a rare case of bilateral nasolabial cysts accompanied by bilateral chronic dacryocystitis.


METHODS
A 48-year-old woman suffering from bilateral chronic dacryocystitis was referred to our department for endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy. She had undergone external dacryocystorhinostomy on the left side a few years earlier. Physical examination and computed tomography scan revealed nasolabial cysts bilaterally inferior to the nasal alar region. The cysts were removed via a sublabial approach and endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy was performed on the right side. Ten months after surgery, the patient was asymptomatic.


CONCLUSIONS
There may be a correlation, due to embryological reasons, between the presence of nasolabial cysts and the presence of chronic dacryocystitis. Both can be corrected surgically, under the same anaesthesia, without visible scar formation.
Kyrmizakis
Dionysios E
DE
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Crete, School of Medicine, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. dkyrmiz@yahoo.com
Lachanas
Vassilios A
VA
Benakis
Antonios A
AA
Velegrakis
George A
GA
Aslanides
Ioannis M
IM
D002908:Chronic Disease; D003607:Dacryocystitis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008047:Lip Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009631:Nonodontogenic Cysts / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome