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Bilateral nasolabial cysts associated with recurrent dacryocystitis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2006

Dionysios E Kyrmizakis
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Crete, School of Medicine, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Vassilios A Lachanas
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Crete, School of Medicine, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Antonios A Benakis
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Crete, School of Medicine, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
George A Velegrakis
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Crete, School of Medicine, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Ioannis M Aslanides
Affiliation:
VEIC (Vardinoyiannion Eye Institute of Crete), Department of Ophthalmology, University of Crete, School of Medicine, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Abstract

Objective: Nasolabial cysts are rare, nonodontogenic, soft-tissue, developmental cysts occurring inferior to the nasal alar region. They are thought to arise from remnants of the nasolacrimal ducts and they are frequently asymptomatic. We report a rare case of bilateral nasolabial cysts accompanied by bilateral chronic dacryocystitis.

Case report: A 48-year-old woman suffering from bilateral chronic dacryocystitis was referred to our department for endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy. She had undergone external dacryocystorhinostomy on the left side a few years earlier. Physical examination and computed tomography scan revealed nasolabial cysts bilaterally inferior to the nasal alar region. The cysts were removed via a sublabial approach and endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy was performed on the right side. Ten months after surgery, the patient was asymptomatic.

Conclusion: There may be a correlation, due to embryological reasons, between the presence of nasolabial cysts and the presence of chronic dacryocystitis. Both can be corrected surgically, under the same anaesthesia, without visible scar formation.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2005 Royal Society of Medicine Press

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