Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium

[Retinal tumors in adults: Part 2 nonvascular tumors of retina and retinal pigment epithelium]

Retinal tumors are a heterogeneous group of congenital and acquired lesions. In the second part of the article retinocytic and glial cell tumors of the retina, tumors of the retinal pigment epithelium, malignant tumors, such as lymphomas and metastases are presented. In benign and malignant tumors visual symptoms, such as exudative retinal detachment occur, which often lead to irreversible visual impairments. Because visual symptoms are often a manifestation of systemic diseases, the ophthalmologist plays an important role in the accurate and early diagnosis of retinal tumors. This article reviews the most important clinical and diagnostic features of retinal tumors in adults, the systemic associations and the literature on currently available treatment strategies.

Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium - MRI features of a rare paediatric intraocular tumour

Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium is a rare benign ocular tumour in children, composed of glial cells, vascular tissue, and sheets of pigmented epithelial cells. Although generally thought to be congenital, acquired cases are known to exist. It usually presents with reduced visual acuity and/or strabismus and it can be associated with several syndromes, including Neurofibromatosis Type 2. There is no consensus on the management of combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium.

We present a case, including MRI features, of a 4,5-years-old girl with a combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium.

Staged approach to treatment of combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium

Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a rare congenital benign lesion. It is most often detected in young adults and adolescents. The disorder is mostly asymptomatic, however, in 24% of patients the loss of visual function results from complications, such as epiretinal fibrosis associated with tractional distortion of the fovea, hemophthalmos, choroidal neovascularization, exudative retinal detachment, macular edema, and combined tractional/rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Currently, there is no consensus on the combined hamartoma complications management. The reported clinical case demonstrates the feasibility of staged approach to treatment of combined hamartoma of the retina and RPE complicated by epiretinal fibrosis and partial hemophthalmos using the advanced diagnosis (optical coherence tomography) and treatment methods.

[Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium. Anti-VEGF treatment of the associated choroidal neovascular membranes]

CASE REPORT

A 58 year-old female was diagnosed with a juxtapapillary combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (CHR-RPE) in her left eye 14 years ago. Her visual acuity in that eye was 20/20. Recently, she came to our department with a sudden visual loss and metamorphopsis in her left eye. After performing funduscopy, angiography and OCT, she was diagnosed with choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) at lesion border, and started on antiangiogenic therapy.

DISCUSSION

CHR-RPE, despite being a benign condition, may become complicated with severe visual impairment. Antiangiogenic therapy provides a good alternative to photodynamic therapy or laser photocoagulation for treatment of CNVM, avoiding adding iatrogenesis from these treatment to the complications associated with this pathology.