Bilateral conjunctival melanocytic nevi of simultaneous onset simulating conjunctivitis in a child.
A healthy 10-year-old girl developed synchronous, bilateral, temporal redness of the eyes regarded as sectoral conjunctivitis for 5 years that was unresponsive to topical steroids and antihistamines. Finely vascularized, minimally elevated, amelanotic or faintly focally pigmented, epibulbar conjunctival lesions were present bilaterally. The lesions were completely excised. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical evaluations confirmed that they were both predominantly junctional nevi with conspicuous chronic inflammation. Juvenile conjunctival nevi frequently have atypical histopathologic traits that in an adult could be suggestive of melanoma. The differential diagnosis of much less likely disorders includes leukemia, lymphoid tumor (salmon patch), and conjunctival sarcoidosis, among other conditions. The patient has had no recurrence 3 years after surgery.
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. fred_jakobiec@meei.harvard.edu
Frederick A
FA
Jakobiec
Harpal
H
Sandhu
Pooja
P
Bhat
Kathryn
K
Colby
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor