Nasolacrimal duct obstruction classified by dacryoendoscopy and treated with inferior meatal dacryorhinotomy. Part I: Positional diagnosis of primary nasolacrimal duct obstruction with dacryoendoscope.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the site of primary nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PNLDO) using a dacryoendoscope and nasal endoscope.


METHODS
Retrospective, observational case series.


METHODS
After local anesthesia, dacryoendoscopy and nasal endoscopy were performed in 149 cases (138 Japanese subjects) of PNLDO. Membranous nasolacrimal duct obstruction was termed as lower PNLDO, and occlusion at sac/duct junction termed as higher PNLDO.


RESULTS
The incidence of lower PNLDO was 26.8% (40 of 149 cases), and 109 cases (73.2%) were diagnosed with higher PNLDO.


CONCLUSIONS
The dacryoendoscope is extremely useful to observe directly and evaluate the site of obstruction with accuracy in PNLDO. The higher and lower PNLDO may have a different etiologies.
Sasaki
Tsugihisa
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan. sasatsug@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Nagata
Yuuko
Y
Sugiyama
Kazuhisa
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies