Lacrimal sac dacryoliths: predictive factors and clinical characteristics

Lacrimal sac dacryoliths are often diagnosed during dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR), although their cause is unclear. Several factors have been suggested to predispose to dacryolith formation. The clinical presentation of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) may differ if associated with a dacryolith. Our study evaluated specific risk factors related to dacryolith formation and how the clinical presentation of patients with dacryoliths differs from patients with primary acquired NLDO who undergo DCR.

Retrospective, comparative, interventional case series.

One hundred thirty-eight consecutive patients with NLDO who underwent DCR (163 total DCR cases) between 1993 and 1998.

We evaluated the frequency of dacryolith formation for all DCR cases. For 115 patients with primary acquired NLDO, we statistically compared the patients with dacryoliths (n = 12) to those without (n = 103) for several variables related to clinical history and presentation.

The overall frequency of dacryoliths was 12 of 163 (7.4%) for all DCR cases and 12 of 138 (8.7%) for all patients. All patients with dacryoliths were in the subgroup of 115 patients with primary acquired NLDO, and the frequency in that subgroup was 12 of 115 (10.4%). There was no statistical difference between the group of patients with dacryoliths and those without dacryoliths for age, duration of epiphora, history of acute dacryocystitis, or previous use of antiglaucomatous topical medications. Male gender was more likely to be associated with dacryoliths (P = 0.004), as was initial presentation with lacrimal sac distension (P < 0.001). Partial nasolacrimal obstruction on lacrimal irrigation approached statistical significance for dacryolith formation (P = 0.08), as did a history of cigarette smoking (P = 0.09).

In patients with primary acquired NLDO who require DCR, male gender and presence of sac distension are more frequently associated with dacryoliths. Partial NLDO and history of cigarette smoking may also be relative risk factors for dacryolith formation. These observations may be helpful in the evaluation and surgical planning for patients with lacrimal obstruction.