Aspiration Pneumonia After External Dacryocystorhinostomy Under Local Anesthesia Without Sedation: A Case Report

Amid the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, an 89-year-old male with chronic kidney disease presented with acute dacryocystitis and a persistent dry cough. After a course of antibiotics, external dacryocystorhinostomy was performed under local anesthesia without sedation. During planned hemodialysis in the early hours after the procedure, the patient developed nausea and hematemesis followed by severe dyspnea and hypoxemia. The patient was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, a previously unreported complication in lacrimal surgery.