CONJUNCTIVAL CYSTS OF THE ORBIT - CLINICAL-FEATURES AND HISTOPATHOLOGY OF 4 CASES

Background Only a few reports concerning congenital conjunctival cysts of the orbit (primary nonkeratinized epithelial cysts) have been publ ished. Patients We describe four further cases of conjunctival cysts o f the orbit, which were observed between 1995 and 1997 in Tubingen and Vienna. Histologically, all cysts were lined by nonkeratinizing epith elium with goblet cells. Epidermal appendeages were found in the wall of one cyst. The patients' age was between 1 and 32 pears. Clinically, the prominent symptom was swelling of the upper eyelid, persisting in three patients for more than several years. In one patients diplopia and restriction of eye movements developed within several weeks. Concl usions The cases we described are in accordance with the cases reporte d in the literature. Often a swelling of the upper eyelid persisted fo r several years, before the cyst has become symptomatic predominantly in an adult patient. In contrast to dermoid or epidermoid cysts: there is no bony erosion and the cysts are located in the superior to nasal orbit. These cysts are probably more common as it is represented in t he literature.