Nasal endoscopy in the management of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Abstract

Probing is a reliable surgical intervention for the management of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO). However, it is a blind procedure that carries the risk of false passage formation. Moreover, its success rate is variable, with unexplained causes of failure. Recent literature suggests the use of nasal endoscopic-assisted probing to minimize nasal mucosal trauma, decreases the chance of creating a false passage and provides the optimum management option of different congenital variants of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Nasal endoscopic-assisted probing has more or less consistent success rates varied between 85% and 98% compared with probing success rates, which vary between 55% and 95% despite having almost the same age range.