ABSTRACT
The objective of the present work was to study topographical and anatomical relationships between the lacrimal passages and the walls of the nasal cavity from the standpoint of the rhinosurgeon. The materials for the study were obtained by examining 15 corpses. It was found out that in 91% of the cases, the natural ostium of the maxillary sinus is localized within 11.6 cm from the lacrimal tubercle. In 62% of the cases, the nasolacrimal passage opens in the region of the vault of the inferior nasal passage as an orifice roughly 0.8 mm in size displaced approximately 9.4 mm posteriorly from the edge of the inferior turbinated bone. In 21% of the cases, the ostium of the nasolacrimal passage approximately 2 mm in diameter is situated at the lateral wall of the inferior nasal passage, roughly 6.5 mm above the bottom of the nasal cavity. In 10% of the cases, the nasolacrimal passage opens at the inner surface of the inferior turbinated bone proper at a distance of about 3.4 mm from the site of its attachment. It is concluded that topographical and anatomical localization of the lacrimal passages is of primary importance in terms of endonasal endoscopic interventions on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity including the puncture of the maxillary sinus associated with the potentially high risk of the damage to the nasolacrimal passage and in a lesser extent to the lacrimal sac.
