Orbital varices and orbital wall defects

A Review of Pediatric Ophthalmic Tumors

Tumors of the eye, orbit, and ocular adnexa can arise in the pediatric population. These entities can be both vision- and life-threatening and may be associated with systemic disease. Given their relative rarity, pediatricians must be aware of these conditions and understand what findings warrant immediate referral to an ophthalmologist for initiation of further testing. We aimed to review these conditions and highlight clinical features to promote awareness and expedite diagnosis. Tumors are subdivided into the following categories for review: anterior tumors of the eyelid and ocular surface, orbital tumors, and intraocular tumors.

Acute unilateral orbital varix thrombosis in preexisting bilateral orbital varices: illustrative case

OBJECTIVE

Orbital varix is a rare distensible orbital venous malformation. Most patients present with unilateral intermittent periorbital pain and positional proptosis that is exacerbated by the Valsalva maneuver. Complications include hemorrhage and thrombosis, leading to sudden painful proptosis and visual disturbance.

OBSERVATIONS

A 42-year-old female with a history of bilateral intermittent painless proptosis that was accentuated by a postural head-down position presented with acute painful proptosis in her right eye. Ophthalmic examination revealed right eye proptosis with a bluish mass at the right upper eyelid, and another bluish mass at the left lower eyelid that was prominent during the Valsalva maneuver. Computed tomography scans of the orbits indicated right orbital varix thrombosis and left orbital varix. Surgical excision of the right thrombosed varix was performed along with intralesional bleomycin injection in the left orbital varix. Histopathological examination confirmed the right thrombosed varix diagnosis. The patient had good clinical improvement at the 6-month follow-up.

LESSONS

Orbital varices have a spectrum of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic to severe visual loss. Most cases are successfully treated conservatively; however, in complicated cases, interventions with a multidisciplinary team approach such as sclerotherapy, embolization, and surgical excision should be considered.

Rare Diseases of the Orbit

This article provides an overview of rare orbital diseases. Congenital malformations, inflammatory diseases, benign and malignant neoplasias are described. Although it represents a relatively small area of the body the orbit contains multiple different tissues. Therefore, a great variety of diseases can be found within the orbital space. That is the reason, why both the completeness and the level of detail in the description of particular diseases must be somewhat limited. Nevertheless, clinical manifestations, important aspects of diagnosis, treatment strategies, and, when specific data are available, the prognosis are described. The authors tried to highlight the most characteristic aspects of the different diseases to describe their relevant aspects in spite of the brevity of the subsections.

[Orbital venous varices: modern diagnostic methods and differential diagnosis]

OBJECTIVE

To study the possibility of the modern CT and MRI methods in diagnostics of the orbital venous varices (OVV), discover the special characteristics of these lesions concerning their hemodynamic and differential diagnosis with other orbital lesions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In the period from 2012 to 2019 ten patients with OVV were evaluated. Four of them were men, three - women and three - children (boys aged 7, 10, and 12 years). Age of the patients varied from 7 to 75 years old (mediana - 34).

CT was performed on 9 patients using low dose protocol with injecting the contrast in standard position (supine) and in the prone position. CT-angiography was performed on 3 patients and CT-perfusion - 5 patients which allowed the assessment of the blood supply and quantitative lesions hemodynamic by calculating blood flow (BF_OVV), blood volume (BV_OVV) and mean transit time (MTT_OVV).

MRI with contrast injection and Fat Sat technology was performed on 9 patients, 3 of them were both in the supine and prone positions. 4 patients were evaluated by bolus MR-angiography (TRICKS).

RESULTS

The majority of the OVV was localized in the medial compartments and apex of the orbit. Left sided lesions were found in 6 cases, right - 3. One patient had both sided OVV. In one of the cases in 10-year-old child, we revealed malformation of the Galen vein associated with bilateral varicose enlargement of the intraorbital veins (secondary OVV).

In CT studies all of the lesions enhanced after the contrast injection. When the patients were study in the prone position, all lesions were enlarging; which lead to the diagnosis of OVV. CT-angiography (venous blood flow) proved vascular nature of the lesions. While studying the quantitative lesion hemodynamic by the CT perfusion technology, it was discovered, that OVV tend to have high blood volume (BV_OVV=19.61±3.23(ml/100g) and high blood flow (BF_OVV= 60.87±8.11) and the prolongation of mean transit time (MTT_OVV=19.23±3.07). Normal parameters measured in white matter were CBV_N=1.37±0.69(ml/100g), CBF_N=38.4±4.31(ml/100g/min), MTT_N=2.89±0.44s.

In MRI studies all the lesions had iso-hypointense MR-signal on T1- and hyperintense on T2-images. The pattern of contrast enhancement was inhomogeneous, however reaching homogeneity after some time. TRICKS MR-angiography was more sensitive than CT-angiography (venous phase). Moreover, the absence of radiation exposition was an additional advantage of the MR-venography.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of orbital vascular pathology requires an understanding of the classification of vascular lesions, the integration of the patient's medical history with epidemiological data, as well as a through analysis of the results of instrumental diagnostic methods. CT or MRI, including scanning in the prone position, as well as minimally invasive CT- and MR-TRICKS-angiography and ophthalmological studies of the patient, determine a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and selection of adequate treatment for orbital venous varices.

In the differential diagnosis of OVV with other neoplasms of the orbit, we recommend CT-perfusion study with determine the quantitative characteristics of its hemodynamics.

Dilated orbital vein causing Valsalva-induced proptosis

This case report highlights intermittent proptosis precipitated by exercise or Valsalva maneuvers. Conventional orbital computed tomography scan and catheter angiography did not disclose any orbital vascular lesion. Orbital B-scan ultrasonography, however, before and after a Valsalva maneuver demonstrated intermittent orbital vein dilation adjacent to the optic nerve of the left eye. Clinicians should be aware that anatomic venous variations and vascular malformations including orbital varices may produce a characteristic symptom of recurrent proptosis with Valsalva or head position. Conventional structural orbital imaging (e.g., computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) may not demonstrate a lesion.

Orbital swelling: a simplified guide

Swelling in and around the orbit is common but many doctors may have difficulty forming a differential diagnosis for an orbital swelling. It is important to be able to differentiate the causes of orbital swelling either because they are common (e.g. thyroid eye disease) or because they are rare (e.g. mucormycosis) but may result in loss of vision or even death (Gamba et al, 1986; Rootman, 2001; Tanaka et al, 2004; Kanski, 2007; Lutt et al, 2008). This article outlines the assessment of orbital swelling.

Embolization of orbital varices with N-butyl cyanoacrylate as an aid in surgical excision: results of 4 cases with histopathologic examination

PURPOSE

To report the results of intervention with percutaneously injected n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) to embolize orbital varices followed by surgical resection.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

METHODS

Four patients with symptomatic orbital varices were treated with percutaneous injection of NBCA to embolize the varicosity before surgical resection. Intervention was indicated because of progressive orbital pain attributed to orbital varices. Three of the 4 described cases were associated with severe episodic proptosis. The vision was not affected by the orbital varix in any of the cases before intervention. Radiographic guidance was used during injection of the NBCA. Surgical resection was undertaken via orbitotomy immediately after embolization. The resected tissue was submitted for histopathologic evaluation.

RESULTS

Follow-up after surgery ranged from 7 to 19 months. All of the patients experienced relief of orbital pain. All patients noted transient binocular diplopia in extremes of gaze after the procedure, which resolved spontaneously. No patients had diplopia in primary gaze. No patient lost vision as a result of the procedure. There was no difficulty with procedure-related hemostasis in any of the cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneously injected NBCA seems to be useful and safe as an aid in visualization and hemorrhage prevention during surgical resection of symptomatic orbital varices.

Non-traumatic enophthalmos: a review

Enophthalmos can be defined as a relative, posterior displacement of a normal-sized globe in relation to the bony orbital margin. Non-traumatic enophthalmos has a wide variety of clinical presentations and may be the first manifestation of a number of local or systemic conditions. It may present with cosmetic problems such as deep superior sulcus, pseudoptosis or eyelid retraction; or functional problems such as diplopia or exposure keratopathy. There are three main pathogenic mechanisms: structural alterations in the bony orbit; orbital fat atrophy; and retraction. Evaluation of enophthalmos patients includes orbital imaging and a thorough ophthalmic and systemic examination. In this review, we discuss the presenting features of non-traumatic enophthalmos and include a brief description of the more important causes. An approach to the clinical evaluation of these patients is also discussed together with a brief overview of the principles of management.