J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2004 Feb;45(2):173-179.

Pathologic Features of Lacrimal Sac Mucosa in Primary Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction Patients

• Lee SH
• Lew H
• Sim JY

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship between clinical characteristics and pathologic findings of lacrimal sac in patients of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. METHODS: This study reviewed medical records of 23 eyes of 21 patients who were received external dacryocystorhinostomy, and analyzed patients according to the obstruction patterns and locations on dacryocystography. The relationship between the pathologic degrees of lacrimal sac (inflammation, fibrosis, presence of goblet cells and squamous metaplasia) and clinical characteristics of the patients, was also evaluated. RESULTS: There were no significant relation between the pathologic degrees of lacrimal sac and clinical characteristics. From dacryocystography, the degree of fibrosis was 1.95 +/- 0.62 in complete obstruction, which was significantly higher than 1.00 +/- 0.82 in partial obstruction (p=0.015). In addition, the degree of fibrosis (2.20 +/- 0.63) was different depending on the location of the obstruction. In common canaliculus-obstruction group, it was 1.57 +/- 0.53 and in the nasolacrimal duct-obstruction group, it was 1.33 +/- 0.82 (p=0.041). However, there was no significant statistical difference between the patient's demographics and pathologic findings of lacrimal sac. CONCLUSIONS: The fibrosis of lacrimal sac mucosa is a major pathological finding of nasolacrimal duct obstruction and in particular, it is the characteristic of patients with lacrimal sac obstruction.

Keyword

Dacryocystography; Dacryocystorhinostomy; Goblet cells; Lacrimal sac; Nasolacrimal duct obstruction; Squamous metaplasia

MeSH Terms

Dacryocystorhinostomy
Demography
Fibrosis
Goblet Cells
Humans
Medical Records
Mucous Membrane*
Nasolacrimal Duct*