Management of congenital lacrimal sac fistula

L. D. Birchansky, J. A. Nerad, R. C. Kersten and D. R. Kulwin
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City 52242.

Fourteen patients who were treated for symptomatic congenital lacrimal sac fistula were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate surgical success. Excision of the fistula alone was performed on 9 patients and excision with nasolacrimal intubation on 5 patients (to our knowledge, the latter has not been previously described in the English literature). None of the 14 patients were symptomatic postoperatively during a mean follow-up of 16 months, with a range from 3 to 39 months. We conclude that dacryocystorhinostomy is usually not necessary to successfully treat symptomatic congenital lacrimal sac fistula.