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Balloon catheter dilation for treatment of persistent nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Gregg T Lueder1

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, St. Louis Children's Hospital at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. Lueder@vision.wustl.edu

American Journal of Ophthalmology
|February 28, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Balloon catheter dilation effectively treats persistent nasolacrimal duct obstruction in children after prior surgery. This safe procedure offers good to excellent outcomes for most pediatric patients requiring further intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Medical Interventions

Background:

  • Nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) can persist in children despite initial surgical attempts.
  • Recurrent or persistent NLDO necessitates evaluation of alternative treatment modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of balloon catheter dilation for treating persistent nasolacrimal duct obstruction in pediatric patients post-surgery.
  • To assess outcomes in children with refractory NLDO after previous surgical interventions.

Main Methods:

  • An interventional case series involving 32 children with persistent NLDO after prior surgery.
  • Treatment involved nasolacrimal duct probing with balloon catheter dilation of the distal duct.
  • Outcomes were categorized as excellent, good, fair, or poor based on symptom resolution and tear drainage.

Main Results:

  • Balloon catheter dilation was performed on 32 children (20 bilateral, 12 unilateral NLDO).
  • Excellent outcomes were achieved in 28% of patients, good in 47%, fair in 22%, and poor in 3%.
  • Seven patients with multiple prior procedures showed favorable results, with 5 achieving excellent or good outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Balloon catheter dilation is a safe and generally effective treatment for persistent nasolacrimal duct obstruction in children.
  • This minimally invasive approach offers a viable option for pediatric patients with refractory NLDO following initial surgery.
Abstract

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