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Article
December 1992

Endoscopy of the Lacrimal Outflow System

Author Affiliations

From the Division of Ophthalmology (Dr Fein) and the Laser Research Center (Drs Daykhovsky, Beeder, and Grundfest and Mr Papaioannou), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif. The authors have no proprietary interest in any of the endoscopes described.

Arch Ophthalmol. 1992;110(12):1748-1750. doi:10.1001/archopht.1992.01080240088037
Abstract

• Management of obstructions in the lacrimal drainage system would be greatly aided by improvements in the ability to visualize the blockages. We describe a new method of observation using miniature fiberoptics to view the entire lacrimal excretory system. We employed flexible endoscopes of fiberoptic bundles with outside diameters of from 0.5 to 0.7 mm. These endoscopes were inserted through the puncta and canaliculi. Sixteen patients were examined. A range of pathologic conditions were found, including slightly stenosed passages and severely destroyed canalicular mucosal lining. Our results indicate that this technique is feasible and useful in the diagnosis of lacrimal excretory disease.

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