title: [Balloon-catheter dilatation (dacrioplasty) for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction treatment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the results of balloon-catheter dilatation for the treatment of congenital lacrimal duct obstruction. To the best of author's knowledge this procedure has not been previously used in Brazil and deserves scientific studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children between 2 and 5 years old, with congenital lacrimal duct obstruction, were treated with balloon-catheter dilatation (Lacricath). Catheter was introduced by the superior lacrimal punctum, under general anesthesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven eyes were treated and 23 presented total improvement of epiphora signs and symptoms (85.2% success rate). During a one year follow-up, all the procedures had good outcomes, without complications and all the children had 1 year of follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Balloon-catheter dilatation is an efficient and safe procedure and might be used for congenital lacrimal duct obstruction treatment in children older than 2 years.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Referência em Oftalmologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brasil. rmurillousp@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Roberto Murillo Limongi de Souza
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Luigi Batista
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Seronni
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avila
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000151:congenital / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome