Bilateral parotid swelling with blindness

J Craniofac Surg. 2013 Nov;24(6):2174-6. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0b013e3182a2d865.

Abstract

We report a case of a 32-year-old woman who presented with bilateral parotid gland enlargement. She had no systemic symptoms such as fever, cough, and weight loss. She had bilateral blindness for a long time. The results of a physical examination revealed a bilateral firm, painless mass in the parotid region. A computed tomographic scan showed no clear lymphadenopathy in the neck but showed localized infiltrates and multiple pulmonary nodules with enlargement of the mediastinal and axillary lymph nodes in the chest. The patient underwent a superficial parotidectomy. A histopathologic finding revealed an epithelioid noncaseating granuloma, which is consistent with sarcoidosis. In summary, this current study shows that sarcoidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all painless swelling of the parotid gland, especially in women, which could be an earlier complaint.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Blindness / complications*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Lymph Nodes / diagnostic imaging
  • Parotid Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Parotid Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Sarcoidosis / diagnosis*
  • Sarcoidosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / diagnosis
  • Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / diagnostic imaging
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods