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Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical factors associated with dacryocystitis and the need for surgical intervention in infants with congenital dacryocystocele.
METHODS: This retrospective study included 26 infants diagnosed with congenital dacryocystocele and divided them into two groups: complicated-congenital dacryocystocele (with dacryocystitis or preseptal cellulitis) and uncomplicated-congenital dacryocystocele (without infection). Demographic and perinatal characteristics such as age at diagnosis, gender, birth weight, gestational age, delivery method, and laterality were compared between the groups. For an uncomplicated-congenital dacryocystocele, treatment included conservative management and intravenous antibiotics, followed by probing with intraoperative nasal endoscopy and endonasal marsupialization for a complicated-congenital dacryocystocele.
RESULTS: Of the 26 infants, 14 (53.8%) had complicated-congenital dacryocystocele, while 12 (46.2%) had uncomplicated-congenital dacryocystocele. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of demographic or perinatal characteristics (p>0.05). Surgical intervention was necessary for all complicated-congenital dacryocystocele cases (100%) and two uncomplicated-congenital dacryocystocele cases (16.7%; p<0.001). During a 6-month median follow-up period, all patients demonstrated complete clinical recovery with no intraoperative complications.
CONCLUSION: In conclusion, approximately half of infants with congenital dacryocystocele developed infection-related complications. While perinatal factors were similar across groups, infectious presentation was linked to the need for surgical intervention. These findings suggest that early detection, prompt conservative management, and close follow-up can help reduce the risk of dacryocystitis and the need for surgery.

Keywords: Dacryocystocele; Dacryocystitis; Lacrimal duct obstruction; Marsupialization; Postoperative complication; Gestational age