Lacrimal duct obstruction
Some newborns are born with a blocked tear duct, obstructed by a membrane or blockage, which means the duct cannot function properly.
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If by 1 year old, the obstruction has not been unblocked by eye drops and/or specific massage techniques recommended by your doctor (90% of cases are resolved in this way), it’s necessary to operate. A young child may be operated before his or her first birthday if the obstruction causes repeated conjunctivitis or if a painful growth appears on the inner edge of the lower eyelid.
Six per cent of newborns suffer from lacrimal duct obstruction. In 70% of cases it affects one eye, and in 30% of cases, both eyes.
Lacrimal duct surgery
This procedure takes place in hospital, without anaesthetic (unless the child reacts excessively) and requires one day at hospital. First a thin probe (or catheter) is passed into the tear drainage system to remove the membrane causing obstruction. The drainage system is then dilated using larger and larger probes to increase the narrower than normal ducts. Finally the whole system is cleaned to remove secretions and avoid any infection.
Post-surgery care
Utmost hygiene in the eye area is required. This means eye baths using sterile gauze and paying careful attention that fluid does not pass from one eye to the other to avoid any contamination. The treated area then needs to be dried carefully.
Post-surgery results
Persistent eye watering ceases immediately after surgery. In some cases however, the duct requires further dilation to obtain fully satisfactory results.
General surgery info...
Parents may worry about the fact that these operations are often carried out under general anaesthetic. Medical staff will explain anaesthesia-related mortality risks during the pre-surgery consultation a few days before the operation and you will be told how extremely rare these risks are (less than 1 in every 100,000).
For any surgery, the child must not have eaten during the 6 hours before the operation and you need to be available to continue his or her post-surgery treatment. You will also need to be aware of any post-surgery symptoms that would warrant an immediate return to the emergency ward.
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Posted 16.02.2011
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