Anyone have experience of blocked tear duct operation?

[bebespain]

DS now 16 mos has had a blocked tear duct in his right eye from birth. After massaging and massaging it to no avail they have finally agree to unblock it under anaestethic on Monday.

I am really concerned that it won´t work as I have read its not always successful.

Has anyone had good results from this procedure?

Am getting really nervous about it now...

hiya bebespain. My DD had this done last year when she was about 2 and a half. The consultant was cross with my doctor for not referring her earlier as the earlier that do the minor surgery the better the chances of success. Both of DD's were blocked and the surgery was successful for one of them but not the other. She has had a second operation on the blocked duct but unfortunately it looks as though it is blocked again.

DD has no side effects from the surgery. It was rather unpleasant holding her while they put the mask over her face with the anaesthetic but although she was a tad tearful when she came round i think that was more becasue she wanted to be left to sleep than anything else. Certainly when we told her she was going to have it done again she didn't create - she just said she wanted a pink sticker instead of a blue one.

I won't tell you not to worry because of course you will but it willbe quick (DD was gone for max 20 mins and that was for both eyes) and the staff were fantastic as I'm sure they will be where ever you are going.

Good luck to you both.

PS take your DS's favourite drinks with you as they probably won't let you go home until he has done a wee.

My neice had this done about 16 years ago, she is scared from the operation, but it worked really, really well for her.

mckenzie - thnks for taking the time to write, such a lovely post

Sorry to hear your DD had to wait so long, thats what has been worrying me as I really wanted it sorting out sooner...and sorry it wasn´t a complete success, fingers crossed it gets sorted in the end...

Am dreading the anaesthetic bit but like you say it´ll be over quick, the surgeon said it is a very quick procedure and thanks for the tip about the drink

Thanks to panties too, glad it worked well for your niece

Also a bit concerned that op isn´t til 3.30pm and they´ve said DS can´t even have a drink of water after 9am

I think you might be presently surprised about how well your DS will cope with the no food, no drink thing. Check when you get there as you might have been given a standard letter re times etc but because the amount of anaesthetic will be very low, it might be that he can eat and drink until a bit later. What time do you have to get to the hospital?
It's a shame you've got such a late time - I heard a comment at the hospital last time which led me to believe that they prioritise children for first thing so that they can just have their normal tea/bedtime drink etc and then come straight in the morning for the first operation, thereby not having to put them through a whole day of no food or drink.

Yes I am sure they do in the UK but I´m in Spain and they do things somewhat differently here

Even so we are going private for this op and I did assume they would prioritise for a small child but apparently its because the anaethetists aren´t available earlier Oh well...

Thanks again!

you might be pleasntly surprised bebespain. Although DD was that bit older of course.

We made it out to be something really special thst she was having done, something that nobody else in the family was going to have, juts her (her elder brother was old enough to understand that we were just trying to make DD feel better). The hospital gave her a teddy and lots of stickers etc and she played with the hospital toys until it was her time and also afterwards (it took her forever to do a wee )

how did it go bebespain?