Schwannoma of upper eyelid: A rare differential diagnosis of eyelid swellings

Isolated eyelid Schwannoma: A rare differential diagnosis of lid tumor

Primary Schwannomas of the eyelid are extremely uncommon. It accounts for one percent of orbital tumors. We present a case of isolated eyelid Schwannoma in the lateral canthus of the left eye with no systemic diseases associated. Surgical excisional biopsy was done. In two years follow up, no recurrence or malignant conversion was detected.

Isolated Schwannoma of the Upper Eyelid Margin in a 50-year-old Male

Schwannomas (neurilemmomas) are benign neurogenic tumours of peripheral nerves. They originate from Schwann cells, which form the neural sheath. Although Schwannomas and neurofibromas are the most common primary peripheral nerve tumours, Schwannomas are rarely observed in ophthalmic areas. When they occur, ocular Schwannomas are usually located in the orbit, uveal tract and conjunctiva. Isolated eyelid Schwannomas are reported infrequently. Herein, we describe a case of eyelid Schwannoma in a 50-year-old man. The diagnosis of Schwannoma was made after the eyelid mass was removed by excisional biopsy, so this entity should be included in the differential diagnosis of eyelid margin tumours.

A para-canalicular abscess resembling an inflamed chalazion

Background. Lacrimal infections by Actinomyces are rare and commonly misdiagnosed for long periods of time. They account for 2% of all lacrimal diseases. Case Report. We report a case of a 70-year-old female patient suffering from a para-canalicular abscess in the medial canthus of the left eye, beside the lower punctum lacrimale, resembling a chalazion. Purulence exited from the punctum lacrimale due to inflammation of the inferior canaliculus (canaliculitis). When pressure was applied to the mass, a second exit of purulence was also observed under the palpebral conjunctiva below the lacrimal caruncle. A surgical excision was performed followed by administration of local antibiotic therapy. The histopathological examination of the extracted mass revealed the existence of actinomycosis. Conclusion. Persistent or recurrent infections and lumps of the eyelids should be thoroughly investigated. Actinomyces as a causative agent should be considered. Differential diagnosis is broad and should include canaliculitis, chalazion, and multiple types of neoplasias. For this reason, in nonconclusive cases, a histopathological examination should be performed.