Dacryocystitis Treatment
Dacryocystitis is an infection of the tear sac (lacrimal sac) in the inner corner of your eye. Tears drain through this bag as they leave your eyes.
Tears help keep your eyes hydrated, pure, and free of bacteria. The lacrimal glands beneath your upper eyelids produce tears, which travel through small openings to the front of your eye. Every time you blink, the tears spread throughout your eyes. To make room for new tears, the fluid should drain out of your eyes through small holes called puncta, in the corners of your upper and lower eyelids. Then it drains through the nasolacrimal sac into the tear duct and the back of your nose.
Infections are usually caused by a blockage in the lacrimal duct that allows bacteria to Grow within the tear sac.
An infection that begins suddenly is called acute dacryocystitis. An infection that lasts for a long time is called chronic dacryocystitis.
Blocked Tear Duct
When you have a blocked tear duct, your tears can’t drain normally, leaving you with a watery, irritated eye. The condition is caused by a partial or complete obstruction in the tear drainage system. Blocked tear duct occurs commonly in newborns.
Symptoms of Blocked Tear Duct:
- Tearing
- Discharge from the eye
- Pain at the tear duct or surrounding area
Dacryocystitis and Blocked Tear Duct Treatment:
In the mild form of the disease, antibiotics can be used to control the infection, but in more severe cases surgery is imperative. Two surgical methods can be operated to treat it:
Dacryocystectomy procedure
Dacryocystectomy is a well-established Oculo plastic surgery procedure that refers to a complete surgical extirpation of the lacrimal sac. it was used to be standard of care prior to the advent of dacryocystorhinostomy for the management of Dacryocystitis and lacrimal fistula
Dacryocystorhinostomy surgery
Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is a surgery that creates a new path for tears to drain between your eyes and your nose. You need this surgery if your tear duct has become blocked. The procedure can be performed externally via an incision in the skin, or endoscopically through the nose without leaving any scar. Both methods are equally successful.
Dacryocystorhinostomy Steps
During an external DCR, your oculoplastic surgeon creates an opening from the lacrimal sac to your nasal cavity. The surgeon makes a small incision in the skin, in the area under your eye and next to your nose. Through this incision, your surgeon creates a small opening in the bone beneath.
Risks of Dacryocystorhinostomy Surgery
How successful is Dacryocystorhinostomy surgery?
As a result, the external revealed success rate up to 98% anatomically & 82% functionally in cases of primary lacrimal drainage obstruction.
Common Risks
Nose Bleeding
Rare Risks
.Infection
. Lack of Improvement
. Breathing Problem Through the nose
. Weakness in Blinking
Dacryocystorhinostomy Age Limits
Dacryocystorhinostomy surgery has no age limits but it’s most common preformed in children.
Dacryocystorhinostomy cost
The cost of the operation in Iran is about 115 $ To 200 $
Dacryocystorhinostomy Surgery: Before and After
Before Dacryocystorhinostomy surgery:
Talk with your doctor about how to prepare for the procedure. Ask if you need to stop taking any medications. You can’t eat anything after midnight before the day of the surgery.
Your doctor might Tests before the procedure to get a better idea of your anatomy. These may include:
. C.T scan of your nasal passages
. M.R.I scan of your nasal passages
After Dacryocystorhinostomy surgery:
- You may be awake during external DCR surgery. You may receive a medication to help you relax. The doctor uses packing materials soaked with anesthetics inside your nose to make sure you don’t feel anything. This packing material may also have medication to help decrease blood loss during the procedure. You might also need an injection to numb the area.
- For other external DCRs, and during all endoscopic DCRs, you will receive anesthesia to make you sleep. You will sleep deeply through surgery and won’t remember it afterwards.
- Your ophthalmic plastic surgeon may make a small incision below or near your eyelid, in the space below your eye, and beside your nose.
- Surgeon may expose the tissue beneath the incision. He or she will make a small hole in the bone beneath to open a new passageway between the lacrimal sac and your nose. your sinus surgeon may use an endoscope to work through the nose to make an opening in the bone
- that overlies the lacrimal sac, to make a new passageway between the lacrimal sac and your nose.
- In most DCR cases, a small tube called a stent will be placed in the opening to help to maintain the passage Open.
- For an external DCR, your incision will be closed with stitches.
- For An endoscopic DCR, no sutures or nasal packing is needed.
Dacryocystorhinostomy Recovery:
| Recommended | Not recommended for One Week | Forbidden |
| normal household activities | Attend at duty (Whatever you do) | Below to the eye |
| Eat Regularly | Blowing your nose | Blow to the nose |
| Visit your Doctor Regularly | strenuous activity | |
| sniff back gently to clear your nose | Exercise and Sport | |
| Driving | Flying with airplane |
Smart Behan is the main platform to provide medical information to address your health issue. Our network introduces centers offering high quality services and expert physician as well as booking appointment. You can manage your medical travel. Smart Behan accompanies you from airport to airport handling Welcoming, transportation, translation, medical treatment and last not the least follow up when you are back to home.
To view the rest of our training posts, you can click here