Abstract
The main purpose of this paper is to provide the information about the incidence and types of pathology of secondary acquired obstructions of the lacrimal excretory outflow system caused by primary lacrimal sac non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions. After a thorough literature search, 17 case-control studies were found and selected, data were extracted and categorized, to evaluate specific lacrimal sac pathology mimicking inflammation. A total of 3865 histopathologically examined lacrimal sac wall biopsy specimens from 3662 patients, taken during dacryocystorhinostomy for clinically presumed primary chronic dacryocystitis, were analyzed. The most common reported histopathological finding was non-specific chronic inflammation with or without fibrosis (94.15% of cases). Lacrimal sac-specific pathologies were present in 226 (5.85%) cases. Unsuspected lacrimal sac-specific pathologies were present in 55/226 (24.34%) cases. Almost 45% of primary lacrimal sac malignant neoplasms were not suspected, preoperatively and intraoperatively. Tumor-like lesions of the lacrimal sac were the most common pathology found: (1) lacrimal stones-dacryoliths, (2) pyogenic granuloma, (3) granulation tissues, (4) reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, and (5) lacrimal sac-specific inflammation (Wegener's granulomatosis and sarcoidosis). Neoplastic pathology was found in 55/3865 (1.42%) lacrimal sac wall biopsy specimens; of those, malignant cases were 2.24 times more frequent than benign. Lymphoma was the most common preoperatively unsuspected or intraoperatively unexpected neoplastic pathology. This analysis of the relevant literature highlights the value of routine lacrimal sac biopsy during surgery for clinically presumed primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction.