title: Keratinous cyst of the palpebral conjunctiva.
abstract: A whitish-opalescent, mildly elevated superior tarsal conjunctival lesion measuring 3.0 mm in diameter caused a refractory corneal abrasion in a 54-year-old man. Complete local excision without entering the tarsus produced relief of symptoms. There has been no recurrence during 9 months of follow-up. Histopathologically, a unique keratinous cyst was delimited mostly by basaloid cells resembling the matrical cells in pilomatrixoma. There were no keratohyalin granules in the lining cells, which focally transformed in ghost cells. These histopathologic features are characteristic of trichilemmal keratinization, a heretofore undescribed metaplasia of the conjunctival epithelium.
authors.affiliation: David G. Cogan Laboratory of Ophthalmic Pathology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Frederick A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Jakobiec
authors.forename: Manisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sutula
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004814:Epidermal Cyst / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures