Extrapulmonary sarcoidosis: unusual cause of epiphora

Ramlee N, Ramli N, Liza-Sharmini AT
Correspondence: Dr Liza-Sharmini Ahmad Tajudin, liza@kb.usm.my

ABSTRACT
Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disease of unknown aetiology mainly affecting African-Americans, Scandinavians, and the Irish. However, individuals of other races and ethnicities are still not immune. The clinical presentations vary widely with most patients having some respiratory problems. Though extrapulmonary sarcoidosis is no longer rare, sarcoidosis involving the lacrimal sac is an infrequently-reported problem. We present a case of sarcoidosis involving the lacrimal sac in a 42-year-old Malay woman who presented with epiphora. She was successfully treated with steroids and dacryocystorhinostomy. There was no evidence of systemic involvement. It is suggested that in an unusual presentation of sarcoidosis, a thorough search should be made for localisation of other sites, lungs in particular, even in the absence of respiratory complaints.

Keywords: epiphora, lacrimal sac, nasolacrimal duct, sarcoidosis
Singapore Med J 2007; 48(6): e168–e170