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Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

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Principles and Practice of Lacrimal Surgery

Abstract

Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) is a common cause of epiphora in children with incidence of symptoms ranging from 1.2 to 30 % [1, 2]. However the incidence of anatomic nasolacrimal duct obstruction seen in stillborn is much higher at around 73 %. It is believed that respiratory efforts, crying, and sucking create negative pressure within the nose which helps to break the membrane present at the nasolacrimal duct (NLD) opening. This spontaneous perforation usually occurs by 3–4 weeks of age, but if it fails, manifestations of CNLDO are seen [3]. Management of CNLDO is principally guided by natural history of the disease and high spontaneous remission rate by 1 year of age [2]. The standard of care now for non-resolving cases is endoscopic-assisted probing with or without intubation. There is an increasing role of dacryoendoscopy and simultaneous correction of associated intranasal abnormalities [4, 5].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ophthalmic Plastics Surgery, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India

    Saurabh Kamal MD

  2. Dacryology Service, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, 500034, India

    Mohammad Javed Ali MS, FRCS, FRCGP

  3. Ophthalmic Plastics Surgery, Imperial Healthcare Institute, Dubai, UAE

    Vinod Gauba FRCS

  4. Pediatric Ophthalmology, Imperial Healthcare Institute, Dubai, UAE

    Qasim Qasem MD

Authors
  1. Saurabh Kamal MD
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  2. Mohammad Javed Ali MS, FRCS, FRCGP
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  3. Vinod Gauba FRCS
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  4. Qasim Qasem MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Javed Ali MS, FRCS, FRCGP .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dacryology, L.V.Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India

    Mohammad Javed Ali

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Kamal, S., Javed Ali, M., Gauba, V., Qasem, Q. (2015). Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction. In: Javed Ali, M. (eds) Principles and Practice of Lacrimal Surgery. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2020-6_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2020-6_12

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New Delhi

  • Print ISBN: 978-81-322-2019-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-81-322-2020-6

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