Objective: To study the diagnosis and treatment of 17 patients with sarcoidosis in ocular adnexa.
Methods: The clinical data of 17 cases with sarcoidosis in ocular adnexa treated during 1993 and 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent surgical treatment, and the diagnosis was proven histopathologically.
Results: Among the 17 cases, 4 were male, and 13 were female. The patients' age ranged from 15 to 70 years, with a mean of 46.9 years. The lesions were located at the orbit (8 cases), lacrimal grand (5 cases) and eyelids (4 cases). Fourteen cases complained of the presence of a local mass, 2 cases complained of exophthalmos and 1 swelling of eyelids. Concurrent systemic sarcoidosis was present in 7 cases. Three cases coincided with lung sarcoidosis, 3 cases with uveitis and 1 case with dermatopathy. Angiotensin converting enzyme analysis was performed in 6 cases; 4 of them were elevated. Computer tomography was performed in 12 cases; in 11 cases it presented as moderate density parenchymatous mass, and in the remaining one it presented as hypodensity cystic mass. B scan of 5 cases showed hypoechoic parenchymatous homogeneous mass. None of 14 cases relapsed after 1 to 15 years follow-up.
Conclusions: Ocular adnexal sarcoidosis usually presents as local mass and it should be included in the differential diagnosis of orbital and ocular adnexal lesions. Excision of localized mass alone could achieve satisfactory outcomes for isolated lesions, while for diffuse or systematic lesions, corticosteroid treatment should be prescribed routinely.