Bony nasolacrimal duct dehiscence in functional endoscopic sinus surgery: radiological study and discussion of surgical implications.

OBJECTIVES

To analyse the radiological features of the bony nasolacrimal duct before and after functional endoscopic sinus surgery, and document the incidence of surgically induced dehiscence.

METHODS

A retrospective case series analysis was conducted of 63 consecutive patients who underwent uncinectomy as a part of 118 functional endoscopic sinus surgical procedures. All patients underwent pre- and post-operative computed tomography scans. Axial computed tomography images at the level of maxillary sinus were evaluated for the presence of bony nasolacrimal duct dehiscence, osteitis and completeness of uncinectomy.

RESULTS

The rate of nasolacrimal duct dehiscence prior to surgery was 6.8 per cent (8 out of 118 cases). Nasolacrimal duct dehiscence as a consequence of surgery was observed in 3.3 per cent of cases (4 out of 118), with a further 4.2 per cent (5 out of 118) showing post-operative reactive bony change of the nasolacrimal duct in the absence of dehiscence.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of nasolacrimal duct injury observed was much lower than that previously reported in the literature.