The timing of antibiotic administration in the management of infant dacryocystitis.

PURPOSE: To report (1) the prevalence of bacteremia among infants with dacryocystitis and (2) the influence of timing of antibiotic administration on the need for repeat probing in the management of these patients.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the hospital records of 25 infants < or =6 weeks of age treated for acute dacryocystitis was conducted, including analysis of laboratory data and outcomes.

RESULTS: Of 22 infants who underwent blood cultures, 5 (22.7%) were bacteremic. Twenty-one of the 25 infants underwent nasolacrimal duct probing. Infants who received preoperative antibiotics were less likely to require a repeat probing than those who did not (6% vs. 80%), and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of bacteremia in this series of patients and the significantly lower incidence of repeat probing among infants who received preprocedural antibiotics suggests that blood cultures and subsequent administration of intravenous antibiotics should be considered prior to probing of infants with dacryocystitis.