Corneal pseudomembrane from acute inflammatory response and fibrin formation to acute myeloid leukemic infiltrate.
OBJECTIVE
To describe an unusual ocular manifestation of a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).


METHODS
Observational case report.


METHODS
A 59-year-old woman with a history of preleukemic myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and status post bone marrow transplant (BMT) complained of a sudden onset of poor vision associated with a corneal pseudomembrane. Ocular graft vs host disease was suspected, and the pseudomembrane was excised for histopathologic examination.


RESULTS
The pseudomembrane showed myeloblasts admixed with an acute inflammatory response suggestive of the development of AML, a complication of MDS. Bone marrow examination confirmed the diagnosis of relapsing AML.


CONCLUSIONS
Acute myeloid leukemia could present as a pseudomembrane; thus, examination of relevant ocular tissue is recommended.
Kurup
Shree K
SK
National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. kurups@nei.nih.gov
Coleman
Hanna
H
Chan
Chi-Chao
CC
D000208:Acute Disease; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008566:Membranes; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
D005337:Fibrin