
Congenital Lacrimal Fistula in a Seven-Year-Old Female: A Rare Cause of Epiphora
Correspondence Address :Dr. Jigna Motwani,
Junior Resident, Department of Ophthalmology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College,
1st Floor, C Block, AVBRH, Sawangi (MEGHE), Wardha, Maharashtra, India.
E-mail: jignamotwani04@gmail.com
Congenital lacrimal fistulas are rare epithelium-lined tracts that tend to have a direct communication between skin and the lacrimal drainage system. These are benign developmental abnormalities, that may require no treatment. This is a rare diagnosis since patients are usually asymptomatic and presents only when epiphora is associated. When symptomatic, congenital lacrimal fistula presents as epiphora, or mucoid discharge, rarely patients could develop nasolacrimal duct obstruction, which may present as recurrent dacryocystitis. Thorough clinical examination is the best way to diagnose the condition, where a fistula ostium may be found inferonasal to medial canthus of the eye. Further, lacrimal probing and irrigation is helpful. Surgical management of the fistula is advised only if the disease is symptomatic which ranges from simple excision to dacryocystorhinostomy. This is a report of one such patient with congenital lacrimal fistula which was treated surgically by fistulectomy.
Embryology, Lacrimal apparatus disease, Surgery
DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2020/45343.14137
Date of Submission: Jun 05, 2020
Date of Peer Review: Jul 23, 2020
Date of Acceptance: Aug 24, 2020
Date of Publishing: Oct 01, 2020
AUTHOR DECLARATION:
• Financial or Other Competing Interests: None
• Was informed consent obtained from the subjects involved in the study? Yes
• For any images presented appropriate consent has been obtained from the subjects. Yes
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• Plagiarism X-checker: Jun 06, 2020
• Manual Googling: Aug 19, 2020
• iThenticate Software: Sep 28, 2020 (5%)
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