Newborn Dacryocystitis: signs and treatment

Newborns' dacryocystitis is an inflammatory process of tear-removal. The tear ducts include the upper and lower lacrimal canals, which are connected to the lacrimal sac. A tear from the lacrimal sac must enter the tear duct, which opens into the lower shell of the nose.

In the normal state, free contact between the nasolacrimal canal and nasal cavity is formed at the 8th month of pregnancy. Up to this point, the outlet hole is covered by a thin membrane. At the time of birth in most children, this membrane dissolves or breaks out at the first cry. If no resorption or rupture of the film occurs, then there are difficulties with the process of lacrimation.

In childhood, pathologies of the tear duct can lead to the development of phlegmon in the lacrimal sac, damage to the cornea, chronic conjunctiva, etc.

Causes of the disease

The main cause of development of dacryocystitis in newborns is the closed nasal mouth of the nasolacrimal duct at the time of birth - in this situation it ends with a blind sack. A few days after the birth of the child, a small amount of mucopurulent content begins to be released from the conjunctival sac.

Pathology in newborns can develop into a full-fledged disease already in an adult, but, as a rule, with proper treatment everything ends safely, because there is a restoration of the membrane closing the passage from the lacrimal passages.

The main causes of dacryocystitis in newborns can be divided into two groups:

• Pathology of the structure of the nose and surrounding tissues due to inflammation or trauma.
• Obstruction in the nasolacrimal canal at the time of the birth of the child due to the fact that the gelatinous plug did not have time to resolve.

Symptomatology of pathology in newborns

The first symptoms of dacryocystitis in newborn babies appear only a few days after birth. Parents notice the congestion in the eye of the baby there is no one separated. The time of appearance of the detachment differs - the less the narrowing appears, the later one can find signs of pathology.

Another symptom of dacryocystitis is tearing - it seems that the eyes of the child are constantly "in a wet place" even in a calm state.

The main symptom of dacryocystitis in newborns is the formation of a separated mucopurulent consistency from lacrimal points when the lacrimal sac is squeezed. There is no redness of the eye. Most often, with dacryocystitis in children, inflammation develops only on one eye. Often on the 14th day of life, the gelatinous film dissolves independently, in connection with which, the pathology passes.

Diagnosis of the disease

If dacryocystitis is not diagnosed in the first months of the child's life, then there is a risk of developing chronic eye damage, for example, inflammation in the conjunctiva, abscess, corneal pathology and others. The listed diseases are not amenable to treatment and suggest the organization of surgical intervention.

The main sign of dacryocystitis in a child is the standing of tears and a slight redness. When pressing a tear sack from it, a mixture of mucus and pus is released, the doctors no doubt diagnose dacryocystitis. With the passage of time, the separated becomes abundant, so the child does not sleep well, refuses to eat, his temperature rises.

For the accurate diagnosis, parents should show the child to a pediatrician, an otolaryngologist and an ophthalmologist. For each child, a comprehensive examination is organized, in connection with which, the doctor specifies how the pregnancy took place, childbirth, whether there is a genetic predisposition to the development of this pathology. Then the child takes a smear to plant on the bacterial flora in order to identify resistance to antibiotic drugs.

Rhinoscopy is organized to exclude the presence of other pathologies or disorders in the structure of the nose. The otolaryngologist conducts a special test to identify diseases of the nasolacrimal canal.

A tubular sample is also organized, when one or two drops of Collargol are instilled in the eye of the child, after which the eyeball is monitored. If the eyeball is white, it is considered that the tear duct is passable. If the solution lingers there, and the eyeball does not begin to whiten after 5 minutes or more, the sample is considered negative, which indicates the presence of pathology. The appearance of the substance in the nasal cavity a few minutes after instillation indicates the normal state of the child.

Also for the diagnosis of the disease, washing of the tear ducts is carried out. If the doctor doubts the results of other tests, the child is washed using a sterile solution of Furacillin. In normal state, when the head tilts, a trickle of solution flows out of the corresponding half of the nasal cavity. With the development of obstruction, the fluid will flow through another channel.

Treatment of impassability of lacrimal canal in newborns

Often parents try to treat newborns' dacryocystitis on their own - they wash the eye with tea or decoctions of herbs, they instill antibacterial eye drops. Such manipulations help only for a while. After the completion of such treatment, the discharge from the eye appears again, and new microorganisms penetrate into the eye gap.

As soon as the child has the first signs of dacryocystitis, it is necessary to urgently go to see a doctor. When diagnosing dacryocystitis, a special care for the child is initially appointed - eye rinsing, instillation, massage.

Massage is required in order to get rid of pus in lacry sacs. In addition, it helps to open a tear duct. The first time the massage is conducted by the expert himself, showing the mother the technology of holding. Then the woman can do about four or five times a day to perform such manipulations. Gentle massage will not be useful, but it should not be applied too much. The smaller the age of the child, the greater the effect of the massage.

After the massage procedure, the eye is washed with special solutions. 5 - 10 drops of solution is instilled in the eye with an eyedropper, and excess fluid is removed by cotton wool. Any washing solution should only be used within 24 hours.

If a lot of pus accumulates in the eye of a child after washing, special drops are injected into it for dacryocystitis in newborns, which are prescribed by the attending physician. The main indicators of the effectiveness of the listed procedures are the disappearance of secretions from the eye, the cessation of tearfulness.

Conservative therapy is usually performed until the child reaches two months of age. If recovery does not occur, then sounding of dacryocystitis in newborns is organized. Under the influence of local anesthesia, a special probe passes through the natural course of the canal, thus pushing the gelatinous film. After that, the tear ducts are washed with an antiseptic.

In the process of carrying out such manipulations, the child, as a rule, cries. In fact, the procedure is carried out very quickly, and the used anesthesia is enough to ensure that the baby does not experience pain. In addition, crying gives the possibility that the nasolacrimal canal opens much faster. After completion of sounding, the child does not feel any discomfort.

The effect of sounding on the second to third month of life of a newborn is very high and is about 95%.Another reason why this procedure becomes necessary is the easier transferability of the operation by the child at the psychological level.

The result can be seen immediately after the sounding - the discharge stops, the blindness disappears, but occasionally these symptoms can persist for the next two weeks, and therefore, for a while after the operation, the child is required to instill antibacterial drops.