Abstract Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment for lacrimal duct cyst, aiming to enhance the diagnosis and therapeutic outcomes of this disease. Method: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical data from 14 patients with lacrimal duct cysts all of which were confirmed by postoperative pathology. These patients were treated at our hospital from January 1991 to December 2023. Results: Among the 14 patients, there were 9 male and 5 females, with age ranging from 8 months to 59 years (mean: 26.5 years). All cases involved unilateral involvement, with 9 affecting the left eye and 5 affecting the right eye. The majority of patients sought medical care due to the presence of an orbital mass or eyelid swelling and protrusion. Imaging studies, including B-ultrasound, color Doppler ultrasound, or CT scans, consistently revealed cystic space-occupying lesions. All patients underwent cystectomy, with 4 cases performed under general anesthesia and 10 cases under local anesthesia. Surgical appoaches included anterior skin incision in 6 cases, conjunctival incision in 8 cases, and auxiliary lateral canthotomy in 3 cases involving. During surgery, cyst rupture occurred in 6 cases, necessitating the injection of medical sodium hyaluronate gel into the cyst cavity to facilitate the complete removal of the cyst wall. Postoperative pathological analysis confirmed the presence of lacrimal gland duct cysts, which were further classified as follows: 4 cases of eyelid lobe lacrimal gland duct cysts, 4 cases of orbital lobe lacrimal gland duct cysts, 5 cases of accessory lacrimal gland duct cysts, and 1 case of ectopic lacrimal gland duct cyst. No postoperative complications were observed in any the patients. Conclusions: Lacrimal duct cysts are relatively uncommon in clinical practice and can arise in any part of the eye. Given their typical clinical and imaging features, a primary lacrimal duct cyst can generally be diagnosed with reasonable degree of certainty. However, it is still necessary to be differentiated it from epithelial/conjunctival inclusion cysts and dermoid cysts, and other similar conditions, with the final diagnosis relying on pathological confirmation. Complete surgical resection of the cyst is the primary treatment approach for this disease, as incomplete resection may result in recurrence. Intra-capsular injection of medical sodium hyaluronate gel during surgery can aid in the complete remval of the cyst.
