Etiology of Epiphora

A major review of punctal stenosis: Updated anatomy, epidemiology, etiology, and clinical presentation

We aim to provide a detailed and updated literature review on the epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentations, histopathology, and ultrastructural features of punctal stenosis. There are inconsistencies in the definition and staging of punctal stenosis. While advanced optical coherence tomography imaging techniques have revolutionized the way the punctum and vertical canaliculi are assessed or monitored following treatment, the planes of measurement to characterize punctum anatomy need to evolve further. The current criteria for diagnosing and grading punctal stenosis are inadequate and based on empirical clinical findings. There is increasing evidence of the role of lymphocytes and myofibroblasts in the pathogenesis of punctal stenosis. There is a need for a uniform assessment of punctal stenosis and a uniform reporting of severity that would help standardize the several management options available in the lacrimal armamentarium.

[Concrements of the lacrimal apparatus]

Concrements of the lacrimal apparatus, known as dacryoliths, can occur at different localizations and can cause a variety of symptoms. A common clinical sign is chronic inflammation, possibly exhibiting acute exacerbation. Based on a literature review and descriptive clinical cases with histopathological correlations, this contribution summarises the most important information concerning epidemiology, aetiopathogenesis, composition, histology, and therapy of lacrimal concrements. Furthermore, factors known to affect lacrimal lithogenesis are addressed. Concrements of the lacrimal gland cause a swelling at the lateral canthus. With only mild pain, this manifests as circumscribed conjunctival hyperaemia. Histologically, the gland tissue is characterised by acute-erosive to chronic inflammation. The concrements consist of amorphic material. Inflammatory infiltration is dominated by neutrophil granulocytes. Canalicular concrements are highly correlated with chronic canaliculitis. Besides epiphora, patients present with purulent discharge at the affected canaliculus. Actinomyces are frequently found inside these deposits and form drusen-like formations. The surrounding tissue reacts with plasma-cellular and granulocytic inflammation. Dacryoliths (concrements of the lacrimal sac) are associated with dacryocystitis, whereby acute and chronic types are common. Stones can be found in up to 18% of patients undergoing dacryocystorhinostomy or dacryoendoscopy. Preoperative diagnostic testing is challenging, as many lacrimal sac stones cannot be reliably visualised by diagnostic procedures. Recurring episodes of epiphora, mucopurulent discharge, and dacryocystitis are common indicators of dacryoliths. Lacrimal syringing is often possible and shows that total blockage is not present. Histology of the lacrimal mucosa reveals lymphocytic infiltration and submucosal fibrosis. The immediate vicinity of the dacryoliths shows acute inflammation. Therapy consists of stone extraction and improving lacrimal drainage, as the latter is recognised as the main risk factor for dacryolith formation.

Evaluation of the presence of double-organ bias in published randomised controlled dacryocystorhinostomy studies

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to show whether journals pay attention to double-organ bias in studies on dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) treatment. Most statistical tests are based on the assumption that each data entry is independent of the other. However, we wanted to understand whether the eye, which is a double organ in the human body, is a cause of bias and whether sufficient attention has been paid to it in published articles.

DESIGN

A PubMed search was conducted between November 1997 and November 2021 in the field of ophthalmology and otolaryngology with the terms 'dacryocystorhinostomy' and the limitations of 'people' and 'randomly controlled studies'. Publications containing DCR were searched. The publications published in the 15 journals with the highest impact were selected. The scope of the journal, the scope of the authors, the relevance of the articles, the presence of randomisation, the type of study (drug, endoscopic surgery, laser surgery and external surgery) and the statistical approach to bilateral organ bias were evaluated by two independent observers.

RESULTS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

A total of 83 publications were found by Pubmed search. Fifty-six publications were included in the study. Double-organ bias was present in 41% (n = 23) of the cases. Of the 23 biased publications, 46.4% were found to be in the Quartile 1 group. Quartile 4 journals showed bias in only four journals.

CONCLUSION

Double-organ bias can also be seen in journals with high impact factors and published in recent years. Journals may need to pay more attention to double-organ bias in the publication acceptance process.

Functional epiphora: an under-reported entity

PURPOSE

To determine the etiology of epiphora in a tertiary Australian lacrimal clinic and highlight the high proportion of 'functional' cases.

METHODS

Single-center retrospective review: Records of adult patients presenting to a tertiary lacrimal clinic from January 2011 to February 2021 with epiphora were reviewed. Patients underwent testing with syringing/probing and lacrimal imaging to reach a diagnosis of functional epiphora. Functional epiphora was diagnosed based on the exclusion of alternate causes of epiphora on clinical examination, patent lacrimal syringing, normal dacryocystography, and delay on dacryoscintigraphy.

RESULTS

Five hundred and seventy-six symptomatic eyes of 372 adult patients (mean 66.2 ± 15.5 years, 63.4% females) with epiphora were evaluated for causes. Post-sac obstruction (stenosis/complete obstruction) and functional epiphora (non-anatomical delay) were the most common causes of presentations to the lacrimal clinic (26% each). Functional epiphora with post-sac delay was substantially more common than functional epiphora with pre-sac delay (89% vs. 11% of functional epiphora cases). In 16% of the cases, no cause for the epiphora was found while more than one cause (multifactorial) was present 11% of the time.

CONCLUSION

Functional epiphora was found to be as common as a nasolacrimal anatomical obstruction when lacrimal imaging is utilized.

Comparing the success rate of external dacryocystorhinostomy with anterior flap versus flap excision in managing chronic dacryocystitis

Background

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) is characterized by epiphora and recurrent episodes of acute dacryocystitis. Despite the temporary effect of antibiotics in the acute phase, it is primarily managed by dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). There is a new modification of external DCR that is performed without either anterior or posterior flaps. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of flapless and single-flap external DCR in adult patients with chronic symptomatic dacryocystitis secondary to NLDO.

Methods

In this retrospective, non-randomized, interventional, comparative study of patients with chronic dacryocystitis secondary to primary acquired NLDO, we compared the surgical outcomes and complication rates of flapless external DCR to those of external DCR with only anterior flap suturing. We excluded patients who declined participation and those with soft stops, nasal problems, lid margin abnormalities, lid malposition or laxity, previous lacrimal surgery, lacrimal fistula, trauma involving the lacrimal drainage system, lack of adequate follow-up, or severe septal deviation or turbinate hypertrophy. Anatomical and functional success rates were determined at the last follow-up visit and were compared. Postoperative complications were recorded and compared between groups.

Results

We included 53 patients with a male-to-female ratio of 16 (30.2%) to 37 (69.8%); 25 eyes underwent flapless DCR (group 1) and 28 eyes underwent anterior flap suturing DCR (group 2). The two groups had comparable demographic characteristics (all P > 0.05). Furthermore, anatomical (92.0% in group 1 and 92.9% in group 2) and functional (84.0% in group 1 and 92.9% in group 2) success rates at final follow-up were comparable between groups (both P > 0.05). At the one-month postoperative examination, premature tube extrusion was more often reported in group 1 (12.0%) compared to group 2 (7.1%). At the two-month follow-up examination, tube extrusion was noted in 4.0% in group 1 and 0.0% in group 2, yet the difference failed to attain statistical significance (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

We found that neither surgical method was superior in terms of anatomical or functional success rate at a maximum of one year after external DCR. Flapless DCR is a simple, effective, and reproducible alternative to the single anterior flap suturing technique for managing NLDO in adults with chronic dacryocystitis. However, further randomized clinical trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are recommended before generalization can be justified.

Concrements of the Lacrimal Apparatus

Concrements of the lacrimal apparatus, known as dacryoliths, can occur at different localizations and can cause a variety of symptoms. A common clinical sign is chronic inflammation, possibly exhibiting acute exacerbation. Based on a literature review and descriptive clinical cases with histopathological correlations, this contribution summarises the most important information concerning epidemiology, aetiopathogenesis, composition, histology, and therapy of lacrimal concrements. Furthermore, factors known to affect lacrimal lithogenesis are addressed. Concrements of the lacrimal gland cause a swelling at the lateral canthus. With only mild pain, this manifests as circumscribed conjunctival hyperaemia. Histologically, the gland tissue is characterised by acute-erosive to chronic inflammation. The concrements consist of amorphic material. Inflammatory infiltration is dominated by neutrophil granulocytes. Canalicular concrements are highly correlated with chronic canaliculitis. Besides epiphora, patients present with purulent discharge at the affected canaliculus. Actinomyces are frequently found inside these deposits and form drusen-like formations. The surrounding tissue reacts with plasma-cellular and granulocytic inflammation. Dacryoliths (concrements of the lacrimal sac) are associated with dacryocystitis, whereby acute and chronic types are common. Stones can be found in up to 18% of patients undergoing dacryocystorhinostomy or dacryoendoscopy. Preoperative diagnostic testing is challenging, as many lacrimal sac stones cannot be reliably visualised by diagnostic procedures. Recurring episodes of epiphora, mucopurulent discharge, and dacryocystitis are common indicators of dacryoliths. Lacrimal syringing is often possible and shows that total blockage is not present. Histology of the lacrimal mucosa reveals lymphocytic infiltration and submucosal fibrosis. The immediate vicinity of the dacryoliths shows acute inflammation. Therapy consists of stone extraction and improving lacrimal drainage, as the latter is recognised as the main risk factor for dacryolith formation.

Overview of Epiphora Referred to Oculoplastic Surgery Clinic in Adults

Objectives

The aim of the study was to evaluate etiological and demographic characteristics of the adult patients referred to the oculoplastic surgery clinic of the tertiary care center with the complaint of epiphora.

Methods

The medical records of the patients who applied to the oculoplastic surgery clinic with a complaint of epiphora between January 2014 and July 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Etiology of epiphora, age, gender, duration of symptom, and follow-up period were evaluated. According to the etiological factors, nasolacrimal system disorders such as punctal stenosis, canalicular stenosis, canaliculitis, and acquired nasolacrimal system obstruction, respectively; the causes of epiphora were grouped as eyelid abnormalities such as entropion and ectropion, and hypersecretory tear secretion due to causes such as dry eye, allergy, and inflammation. The patients with epiphora over the age of 18 with at least 6 months of follow-up were included in the study. Patients with congenital or tumor-related nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) and epiphora due to trauma-related eyelid or canaliculi injury were not included.

Results

A total of 595 medical fields were evaluated. Epiphora was present in 747 eyes of 595 patients. Of the patients, 221 (37%) were male and 376 (63%) were female. According to etiological evaluation of frequency, 372 (62.5%, 432 eyes) patients with NLDO, 63 (10.5%, 123 eyes) patients with punctal stenosis, 44 (7.3%) patients with ectropion, 38 (6.3%) patients with entropion, 37 (6.2%, 69 eyes) patients hypersecretory causes (dry eye, allergy, inflammation, etc.), 24 (4%) patients had primary canaliculitis, and 17 (2.8%) patients had epiphora due to canalicular occlusion.

Conclusion

Epiphora is an important complaint that may occur due to different etiologies. A detailed examination of the anterior segment, lacrimal system and eyelids, and taking a history are the most important steps in the management of the patient.