LACRIMAL BONE THICKNESS AT THE LACRIMAL SAC FOSSA

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Because laser dacryocystorhinostomy techniqu es have become more popular during the past few years, interest has gr own concerning the anatomic structures that need to be penetrated in t hese procedures. The authors therefore studied the thickness and the h istologic type of the lacrimal bone at the lacrimal sac fossa. PATIENT S AND METHODS: The thickness of 69 lacrimal bones at the lacrimal sac fossa from 48 patients was measured. RESULTS: The mean thickness was 1 06 mu m. In 67% of the patients the mean thickness of individual lacri mal bone was less than 100 mu m and in 4% it was more than 300 mu m. T he thinnest measured cross section of the lacrimal bone sample was 11 mu m and the thickest was 722 mu m. The lacrimal bone was composed of a thin plate of lamellar bone. CONCLUSION: In most cases the lacrimal bone at the lacrimal sac fossa is so thin that it can be easily penetr ated with most surgical instruments.