Purpose

The aim of this study was to present the clinical and histopathological characteristics of choristoma tumors of the eye in children and to estimate the surgical treatment.

Material and methods

The study comprised 23 children with choristoma of visual organ including 10 girls (43.5%) and 13 boys (56.5%) in age between 2 months and 16 years, hospitalized in Department of Pediatrics Ophthalmology between 1999 and 2005. Complete ophtalmological examination and ultrasonography of eyeballs and orbital cavity was performed. In each case surgical procedure was implemented and the operated neoplastic changes were verified histopathologically

Results

The tumors were placed within the eyeball in 10 children (43.5%) including corneal limbus placement in 4 children (40%), epibulbar placement with orbital cavity penetration in 5 children (50%) and one patient was diagnosed with lacrimal caruncule tumor (10%). Periorbital choristoma was diagnosed in 13 children (56.5%), while in 9 of them (69.2%), the tumor was placed within the upper lid and in case of 3 (23.1%), the tumor crossed orbital cavity septum and in one patient (7.6%) penetrated towards temporal cranial fossa. The eyeball tumors were entirely removed in 6 children (60%). In 4 children (40%) the surgical procedure was limited to excision of anterior parts of the changes protruding to the orbital cavity. The excision of palpebral, palpebral–orbital and palpebral–cranial tumors was complete (100%). Histopathological examination showed dermoids in 17 children (73.9%), including epidermal cyst in 13 patients (76.5%) and dermoid cyst in 4 patients (23.5%). Additionally, dermolipoma tumors were diagnosed in 6 children (26.1%).

Conclusions

Choristoma tumors are characteristically placed within the organ of vision and have characteristic clinical picture.