Acute dacryocystitis in pediatric patients – five year review from Children's Clinical University Hospital of Latvia

Purpose is to study acute dacryocystitis in a pediatric age group, focusing on ambulatory, day hospital and inpatient management and outcome. A retrospective case series of all acute dacryocystitis in pediatric patients from Children's Clinical University Hospital of Latvia ophthalmology clinic from year 2014-2019 were conducted. Patient intrahospital, day hospital and ambulatory presentation were analysed . Nasloacrimal duct obstruction surgeries were accessed regarding  dacryocystitis treatment. Data were accessed using IBM-SPSS (version 26). During given time period 48 patients were treated for acute dacryocystitis. The number of acute dacryocystitis diagnosis intrahospital, day clinic and ambulatory clinic patients were n=1 (2%) in 2014, n=8 (16.7%) in 2015, n=4 (8.2%) in 2016, n=4 (8.2%) in 2017, n=6 (12.5%) in 2018, n= 6 (12.5%) in 2019. Otorinolaringology clinic treated n=1 (2%) patient, and n=2 (4.1%) were treated in pediatric clinic, and n=15 (31.3%) in neonathology clinic. Acute dacryocystitis was also partly resolved during nasolacrimal duct stenosis surgery, although the precise case analysis for dacryocystitis was not clear since the surgery diagnosis was written under nasolacrimal duct stenosis. Number of treated patient for acute dacriocystitis in ophthalmology inpatient clinic is decreasing. Less complicated cases are treated under ophthalmology ambulatory care and more severe cases are medically managed by pediatric or in neonatology clinic in collaboration with ophthalmologist performing nasolacrimal duct stenosis surgery, that helps in resolving severe acute dacriocystitis. Performing surgery for dacriocystitis diagnosis it is important to differentiate it between nasloacrimal duct stenosis diagnoses, since further medical management differs.