| Download the amazing global Makindo app: Android | Apple | |
|---|---|
| MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: Educational use only. Not for diagnosis or management. See below for full disclaimer. |
Canaliculitis
⚠️ Canaliculitis is often misdiagnosed as conjunctivitis, blepharitis, dacryocystitis, mucocele, or chalazion. This leads to delayed treatment and prolonged morbidity for the patient.
📖 About
- Inflammation of the lacrimal canaliculus, part of the tear drainage system.
- Usually due to infection.
- Tends to be chronic and recurrent if not properly treated.
🧬 Aetiology
- Most common causative organism: Actinomyces israelii.
- Patients with poor nasolacrimal drainage (e.g. obstruction) are at higher risk.
🦠 Microbiology
- Actinomyces israelii – classically associated.
- Other bacteria: Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Eikenella, Lactococcus, Nocardia.
- Fungal causes possible.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa – linked with plug-associated canaliculitis.
🩺 Clinical Features
- Pain and swelling at the medial canthus (corner of the eye).
- Epiphora (watering of the eye), worse if associated with obstruction.
- Purulent discharge from medial canthus, expressed with pressure over the sac (“pouting punctum”).
- Symptoms often worse in the morning due to overnight tear stasis.
- Recurrent, chronic course if obstruction persists.
🔎 Investigations
- Primarily a clinical diagnosis (history and examination).
- Pressure over the sac → expression of purulent material is strongly suggestive.
- Lacrimal syringing may demonstrate obstruction.
💊 Management
- Conservative: Warm massage, digital pressure, syringing/irrigation, topical ± systemic antibiotics.
- Surgical: Relieve obstruction and clear concretions/debris.
- Canaliculotomy: Safe and effective — incision on posterior canaliculus, removal of stones/concretions, irrigation with antibiotics. Incision may be left open or closed, with/without stent.
📚 References
| The content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only to support exam preparation (e.g., MLA, MRCP, USMLE) and learning. This is NOT medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional guidance. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, official guidelines (e.g., NICE, GMC, BNF), or supervised clinical practice. Always verify information with current, authoritative sources. Makindo and its contributors accept no liability for any reliance on this content, including errors, omissions, or any resulting harm, loss, or consequences. By using this site, you agree to these terms. |
|
|
Categories
- A Level
- About
- Acute Medicine
- Anaesthetics and Critical Care
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Book
- Cardiology
- Collections
- CompSci
- Crib Sheets
- Dental
- Dermatology
- Differentials
- Drugs
- ENT
- Education
- Electrocardiogram
- Embryology
- Emergency Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Ethics
- Foundation Doctors
- GCSE
- Gastroenterology
- General Practice
- Genetics
- Geriatric Medicine
- Guidelines
- Gynaecology
- Haematology
- Hepatology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Infographic
- Investigations
- Lists
- Mandatory Training
- Medical Students
- Microbiology
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Nutrition
- OSCE
- Obstetrics
- Obstetrics Gynaecology
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Oral Medicine and Dentistry
- Orthopaedics
- Paediatrics
- Palliative
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Procedures
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Radiology
- Renal
- Respiratory
- Resuscitation
- Revision
- Rheumatology
- Statistics and Research
- Stroke
- Surgery
- Toxicology
- Trauma and Orthopaedics
- USMLE
- Urology
- Vascular Surgery