[Optic disc pit complicated by serous macular detachment: a case report]

INTRODUCTION

Optic disc pit is a rare congenital anomaly that, in 60% of cases, can be complicated by serous macular detachment.

CASE REPORT

We report the case of a 56-year-old patient who presented with serous macular detachment caused by optic disc pit and responsible for a deterioration of visual acuity. Intravitreal injection of 0.3 cc of C3F8 and peripapillary photocoagulation was unsuccessful. Vitrectomy, peripapillary photocoagulation, and intravitreal injection of C3F8 helped reduce the serous detachment and improved visual acuity.

CONCLUSION

Optic coherence tomography has become necessary in the management of this pathology whose mechanism is uncertain and treatment unconventional.

[Conjunctival tumors in children. A histopathologic study of 42 cases]

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to describe the clinicopathological characteristics of 42 conjunctival tumors surgically removed in children.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Records of all conjunctival tumors surgically removed in children during the 11-year period 1990-2001 were collected from the records of the Department of Ophthalmology, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon. In all cases, the tumor was resected with no additional treatment. Sections of all cases were reviewed by the same pathologist.

RESULTS

A total of 42 cases (40 patients) were included in the study. The mean age of the subjects at the time of surgical excision was 10 years, with a range of 1-17 years; 45% were male. The most frequent indication for tumor removal was suspected growth. The clinical diagnosis was accurate in 91% of cases. The tumor was localized at the limbus in 57% of cases. Most tumors were pigmented nevi, accounting for 83% of the lesions. The histopathological diagnoses in decreasing order of frequency were: nevi (35), angioma (2), dermolipoma (2), dermoid (1), papilloma (1), and squamous cell carcinoma (1). In one case, the histological study revealed squamous cell carcinoma in a child suffering from xeroderma pigmentosum.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective study suggests that malignancy of pigmented conjunctival lesions is extremely rare in children. Although squamous cell carcinoma is rare in children, surgical excision and histological study are necessary when a conjunctival lesion is associated with xeroderma pigmentosum or immunodeficiency.

[Sarcoid granuloma simulating amelanotic melanoma of the iris: a case report]

We report the case of a unilateral vascular iris tumor in a 24-year-old patient. Clinically, the iris lesion appeared similar to amelanotic melanoma. A systemic work-up (initial check-up), including an angiotensin-converting enzyme determination, provided the diagnosis of sarcoid granuloma. A biopsy confirmation was not needed. We concluded that iris granuloma can be the only ocular manifestation of sarcoidosis and this context is likely to be confused with amelanotic melanoma and metastatic carcinoma.