Schwannoma in the anterior orbita

Abstract

A schwannoma is a rare benign tumour of peripheral nerve origin. We present a case of a 65-year-old woman with a 1-year history of a slowly enlarging, painless and movable mass, palpable by fingers in her right lower eyelid, adjacent to the inferior orbital rim. No apparent mass was present by macroscopic examination. A subciliary incision and blunt dissection through the septum revealed a pearl-like round and encapsulated cystic mass between the fat pads just below the septum. A total excision of the tumour was performed. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry led to the diagnosis of schwannoma. Although rare, schwannoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of well-capsulated masses in the periorbital region.