title: Canalicular obstruction: a histopathologic case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the histopathologic causes of canalicular obstruction in a case series of patients treated by canalicular trephination for symptomatic epiphora.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university and private practice retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 12 consecutive patients who underwent unilateral canalicular trephination with tissue retrieval for the treatment of canalicular obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Canalicular obstruction was confirmed at the time of preoperative and intraoperative probing and irrigation. Treatment consisted of canalicular trephination combined with silicone intubation and a concomitant dacryocystorhinostomy in 6 cases. Tissue was recovered from the trephine lumen and submitted for pathologic analysis. Predisposing factors that could have caused canalicular obstruction and the clinical course following treatment were reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common histopathologic finding was nonspecific inflammation with associated fibrosis. Cases demonstrating sebaceous gland adenoma, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and bone were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of the lacrimal trephine to open canalicular obstructions provided tissue samples that revealed nonspecific inflammation and fibrosis as a common underlying histopathology. The presence of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue suggests a decrease in canalicular diameter or such dense scarring that the normal canalicular architecture could not be followed. Other causes of canalicular obstruction such as lacrimal sac tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Ohio State University, and Department of Ophthalmology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Grant Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43215, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Everman
authors.forename: Craig N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Czyz
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalwerisky
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Jill A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Kenneth V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Cahill
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003607:Dacryocystitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007440:Intubation / Q000379:methods; D007767:Lacrimal Duct Obstruction / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009301:Nasolacrimal Duct / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
chemical_list: D012826:Silicone Elastomers