Neurofibromatosis Type 1: About a Series of 5 Cases

Abstract

We report in this series 5 cases of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The mean age of the patients was 14.8 years (±9.65) with extremes ranging from 3 to 27 years. Three patients were female (60%) and two were male (40%). Three of our patients (60%) had no history of NF1 and two were monophthalmic because of plexiform neurofibromas involving the eyelid. Both cutaneous and plexiform neurofibromas were found in all our patients. The latter were of variable location: one on the chin, two on the left temporofacial region and two on the left upper eyelid. They were the cause of complications such as blindness in two patients. Café au lait macule (CALMs) was also present in all our patients. No cases of optic nerve glioma were found in the 3 patients (60%) who underwent an orbitocerebral CT scan. Lish nodules were observed in 4 patients (80%). With the exception of the 3-year-old female patient who was not old enough to go to school, all the other four patients dropped out of school because of the stigma attached to them.