INTRAOCULAR PSEUDOTUMOR IN A PATIENT WITH AIDS - BLOCK EXCISION, DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS, HISTOLOGY

Background: Intraocular pseudotumors are a rare event in Aids patients and often pose diagnostic problems. Case report: A 37-year-old patien t who had had HIV seroconversion for 7 years was seen to developed pro gressively growing, multiple, disseminated, subretinal lesions OD > OS , accompanied by exudative retinal detachment and iritis. Since all et iological laboratory diagnostic efforts to detect an infectious, nonin fectious and neoplastic systemic lesion failed, a diagnostic and curat ive therapeutic chorioretinal excisional biopsy specimen of the larges t of the tumors (3 x 3 x 2 mm) was taken. The histological work-up dem onstrated granulation tissue similar to an intracular pseudotumor with out signs of infection, malignancy or reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. T his finding resulted in systemic corticosteroid treatment with complet e resolution of the lesions in both eyes and no recurrences. Conclusio ns: An invasive diagnostic procedure in patients suffering from lesion s of unknown cause resulting in the institution of an appropriate medi cal treatment may be beneficial for the integrity and vision of the re spective eye.