Should we work together to identify congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction and otitis media?
Reviewed by Lauren Hepworth

The authors present a retrospective medical notes review. The aim of the study was to establish how common tympanostomy tube (T-tube) insertion is in children needing probe and intubation (P&I) for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO). All cases of CNLDO treated at a single centre over a -nine-year period were reviewed for inclusion. Routinely parents were asked to complete questionnaires preoperatively and at least 12-months postoperatively. These questionnaires asked about symptoms, history of otitis media requiring antibiotics and history of T-tube placement. Demographics, age of first P&I and first T-tube insertion were extracted from the medical notes. Those lost to follow-up were excluded from the analysis. A total of 92 children met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 14 months old and 59% male. T-tubes were required in 40% of CNLDO cases before or after P&I due to persistent otitis media, with 56% of these cases needing at least two sets of T-tubes to achieve symptom relief. The authors acknowledge limitations of the study including the small sample size and retrospective methods. The study suggests collaborative screening for otitis media and CNLDO could potentially reduce anesthetic exposure and costs.

High incidence and recurrence of tympanostomy tube procedures in children who underwent nasolacrimal duct probe and intubation for congenital duct obstruction.
Vicinanzo MG, Cooper KM, Gerber AL, et al.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY AND STRABISMUS
2023;27(5):286.e1–e4.