Introduction:
Tumors of the orbit are relatively rare lesions. ENT specialists are consultated by
patients with unspecific symptoms which could be a hint for an intraorbital tumor.
The purpose of the present study was to analyze the frequency, typical symptoms and
histologic dignity of intraorbital tumors in a interdiciplinary orbit surgery center.
Methods:
The clinical symptoms, results of imaging examinations (i.e. CT scans; MRI scans),
along with results of pathologic-histologic examinations of all patients which were
treated for an introrbital tumor during the last decade were analyzed retro- and prospectively.
Results:
158 patients with an intraorbital tumor were treated between 2007 and 2017. Progressive
exophthalmus was the most frequent clinical symptom, followed by displacement of the
eye bulb, double vision, disturbed eye ball motility, chemosis, intraorbital pain,
and loss of visual acuity. Histologically benign lesions were found in 93 patients
with varix knots being the most frequent entity, followed by cavernous hemangioma,
orbital pseudotumor, and adenomas of the lacrimal glands. In 65 cases a malignant
tumor was found, with malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma being the most frequent entity,
followed by adeno- and adenoidcystic carcinomas, metastases and sarcomas.
Conclusions:
Although relatively rare patients with intraorbital tumors often complain on unspecific
symptoms with which they are consultating an ENT specialist first. Therapy of intraorbital
tumors is operative in most cases with a close interdisciplinary management is mandatory.
In all cases of intraorbital tumors at least a biopsy is required. Currently there
is no non-invasive imaging technique available for i.e. differentiation between an
orbital pseudotumor and a malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
