Atypical presentation of a lymphangioma as a conjunctival horn

Abstract

Conjunctival lymphangiomas are rare hamartomas of lymphatic origin that are usually located in the bulbar conjunctiva. They commonly present either as focal or diffuse bulbar chemosis or as dilatation of lymphatic vessels that resembles an isolated cyst or a group of cysts. There can be bleeding inside the lymphangioma resulting in “chocolate cysts”. ¹ We report the unusual case of a conjunctival lymphangioma on a 36 year-old male that presented as a large horn-like protruding structure. The lesion was surgically removed with simple excision associated with cryotherapy to the lesion's borders, as malignancy could not be ruled out preoperatively. Histopathological examination revealed a lymphangioma composed of an ill-defined proliferation of dilated lymphatic channels in the lamina propria, underlying conjunctival epithelium with squamous metaplasia, acanthosis and hyperkeratosis. One year postoperatively, the patient remains asymptomatic and without recurrence of the lesion.