Primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction: is it really related to paranasal abnormalities?

Abstract

To investigate whether there is an association between primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction and paranasal computed tomography (CT) findings. The study cohort consisted of paranasal CT images from 40 patients being treated for unilateral primary nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO) and the reformatted coronal temporal CT images of 71 control subjects who attended the ENT clinic with the complaint of vertigo and tinnitus. A radiologist masked to the clinical situation of participants, investigated the paranasal CT findings of the PANDO and control patients retrospectively. The side, localization, and angle of the septal deviation as well as the thickness and lateralization angle of the inferior turbinate's were recorded. Additionally maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis, concha bullosa, Agger nasi cell formation, and osteomeatal complex status were evaluated. No significant difference was found between the paranasal abnormality incidence in the PANDO and non-PANDO sides of the patients or the control group. Only the side of the septal deviation correlated with the side of the PANDO (p = 0.008). The incidence of PANDO may not be directly related to paranasal abnormalities. Further large-scale studies should be performed to clarify the relationship between paranasal abnormalities and PANDO.