The Clinical Evaluation of Dacryocystograpny in Patients with Epiphora

ABSTRACT

Dacryocystography has been widely used in the assessment of the lacrimal passage system, particularly in patients with epiphora. The site of obstruction and presence of fistulas, tumors, diverticula, or calculi can be evaluated, so that therapy can be accurately planned. It has been reported by other authors about the results of dacryocystography in Korea, but there were not enough subjects to study. A retrospective study has been carried out on 171 patients(194 eyes) who have undergone dacryocystography for epiphora at Kangbuk Samsung hospital from December 1992 to June 1993, to assess age, sex, duration of epiphora, previous treatments, incidence rate of obstruction site of the lacrimal system, causes of lacrimal obstruction. The incidence rate of lacrimal system obstruction on dacryocystography was 172 eyes(88.7%). The most common site of obstruction was nasolacrimal duct(107 eyes, 55.2%) and then inferior canaliculus(30 eye, 15.5%), lacrimal sac(18 eyes, 9.3%) and common canaliculus(17 eyes, 8.8%). The most common cause of obstruction was unknown(89 eyes, 51.7%), and then chronic dacryocystitis (45 eyes, 26.2%), congenital(14 eyes, 8.1 %).