Quite often in newborn children in the first days of life there is a purulent discharge from the eyes. The main cause of such manifestations is inflammation of the lacrimal sac and obstruction of the lacrimal ducts - scientific words - dacryocystitis.
When is a tear duct sounding procedure necessary?
When living in the womb of the mother in a child, the tear-nasal canal is covered with gelatin film. This is provided by nature in order to exclude the possibility of amniotic fluid entering the nasal and respiratory tract. Normally, at the moment of birth, with the first inspiration and scream of the baby, this film is torn. But sometimes this breakthrough does not occur and the tear-nasal channel remains impassable. As a result, the baby's tears begin to accumulate gradually in the lacrimal sac and the glaze turns sour.
In the event that there was such a problem, it is better to show the child immediately to the doctor. When confirming the diagnosis, the baby is initially assigned conservative treatment - special massage, washing, drops. Only in the event that this treatment did not give positive results, resort to surgical intervention. Probing the lacrimal nasal canal is considered an extreme measure in the treatment of dacryocystitis in newborns.
How do I probe the lacrimal canal?
This operation, which consists in piercing the protective film, is rather complicated, but fast. Therefore, it is not worth worrying about it.
As a rule, sounding of the lacrimal canal in infants is done in 2-3 months under local anesthesia. By the time the whole procedure takes about 5-10 minutes. In the course of the operation, using a cone of Sichel's probes, the doctor expands the lacrimal canals, and then with a long Bowman probe makes a breakthrough of the existing film. After probing, the lacrimal ducts should be rinsed with a disinfectant solution.
Within 1-2 weeks after probing the tear duct in newborns, in order to prevent relapse and the formation of adhesions, the doctor must prescribe antibacterial eye drops and preventive massage.
This procedure is considered highly effective and, according to medical statistics, in most cases, repeated tearing of the lacrimal canal is not required. In the event that after the operation the desired positive effect is not observed, then it is worthwhile to think about other causes of the child's dacryocystitis. Probing will be ineffective in the curvature of the nasal septum and in other pathologies of the nasal and lacrimal canals. These doctors recommend a more complicated operation for the children, but they do not spend it until the age of six.
Possible complications of lacrimal canal sensation in newborns
This operation should be carried out by an experienced qualified specialist. However, it is still difficult to predict the reaction of a small organism to anesthesia and surgical intervention. Quite often, a scar forms at the puncture site, which is the reason for the repeated blockage of the lacrimal canal. To avoid such consequences,
In addition, it should be borne in mind that the older the child becomes, the more the process of the operation becomes more complicated. After all, the gelatin film coarsens with time, which means that it will be more difficult to break through it. And in the event that a child with dacryocystitis catches additional infections, the independent opening of the lacrimal canal becomes almost impossible.
Let your baby never get sick, and if it has already happened, then take it with full responsibility and hope for a quick and full recovery!