Treatment of Dacryocystitis in Children Under 12 Months of Age with Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

This protocol covers the management of dacryocystitis in infants under 12 months of age when the underlying cause is congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction — a clinical setting where the patient's age directly guides the choice of treatment strategy.

Clinical Scenario

        When clinical signs are suggestive of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in a child younger than 12 months, the expected natural history in this age group strongly informs first-line management. The spontaneous resolution rate in this population is the key factor shaping the recommended approach.
      

Treatment Approach

Conservative treatment is recommended as the first-line strategy, built around a specific non-invasive technique applied to the nasolacrimal region. When significant conjunctival discharge is present, a topical antibiotic agent may be incorporated.

The complete protocol specifies the exact technique, the antibiotic agent, indications for its use, and the full clinical decision pathway — available via the link below.

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References

DOI: 10.1007/s11908-012-0238-8

If clinical signs are suggestive of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, being the patient less than 12 months of age, conservative treatment is recommended, as more than 90% of these patients experience spontaneous resolution.
Conservative treatment consists, mainly in hydrostatic massage and bacitracin eyedrops (twice daily), if there is important mucopurulent secretion in the conjunctival sac.

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