Primary nasal tuberculosis with lacrimal drainage involvement

Abstract

Primary tuberculosis of the nasolacrimal system is a rare entity. We report two cases of nasal tuberculosis from an endemic area who presented with epiphora as the only symptom. Both cases had no nasal symptoms, no cervical lymph nodes involvement and no evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. Histopathology of biopsy from nasal mucosa in both cases was consistent with tuberculosis. Tuberculin test and Quantiferon TB-Gold test were positive. The patients were treated with anti tubercular therapy along with endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy. At three months post-operative follow up epiphora resolved and patients were asymptomatic.