Intralesional steroid injection for management of acute idiopathic dacryoadenitis: a preliminary result.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of intralesional injection of steroid as a new line of therapy in treatment of the acute form of an isolated idiopathic dacryoadenitis.

METHODS

Five patients with unilateral isolated acute idiopathic dacryoadenitis were included in the study. In 2 patients, the pathology was recurrent. Intralesional injection of 2 to 4 ml betamethasone suspension (1 ml contains 2 mg betamethasone sodium phosphate and 5 mg betamethasone dipropionate) was followed by cold compression for 6 hours. Systemic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were given for 2 weeks after the injection.

RESULTS

Dramatic response was achieved within 7 days after injection in all cases. No patient had recurrence during the follow-up period of 8 to 19 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The excellent preliminary results make this new line of therapy highly promising. However, more study and long-term follow-up are recommended.