Congenital divided compound nevi of the eyelids

Background Congenital divided nevi of the eyelids are a rare melanocytic le sion. Only 30 patients are reported in literature. We report on a 6-year-ol d boy and a 41-year-old male with this lesion and give a short overview of the literature. Case reports Patient 1. A 6-year-old boy presented with a pigmented divided nevus of the left eye involving the upper and lower lid naselly. The lesio n had increased in size in the last one year. Otherwise the results of opht halmological examination were unremarkable. The divided nevus was completel y excised. Histopathological studies revealed a melanocytic compound nevus. Patient 2: A 41-year old male presented in our department with a divided p igmented nevus on his left eye involving the upper and lower lid laterally. The lesion had gradually increased since birth. Otherwise the results of o phthalmological examination were unremarkable. A subtotal excision and debu lking procedure was performed. The defect in the lower eyelid was covered u sing a transposition flap from the upper eyelid. Histopathological examinat ion revealed a melanocytic compound nevus. Conclusion Divided nevi of the eyelids may be disfiguring and include the p ossibility of deprivation amblyopia when reaching a certain size in childho od. Malignant changes of this lesion were not observed so far. Total excisi on or subtotal excision and a debulking procedure may be helpful.