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Case Reports
. 2012 Nov;31(11):1273-7.
doi: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e31823d1ec4.

Cystic benign melanosis of the conjunctiva

Philip W Laird  1 , Maria A Woodward, John G Williams, W Barry Lee, Hans E Grossniklaus
Affiliations
Case Reports

Cystic benign melanosis of the conjunctiva

Philip W Laird et al. Cornea. 2012 Nov.

Abstract

Purpose: To report the clinical and histologic features of cystic benign melanosis.

Methods: This case series reports on the clinical and histopathologic features of 3 patients with enlarging, cystic, brown, pigmented, conjunctival lesions.

Results: Slit-lamp examination showed cystic melanotic lesions of bulbar conjunctiva. Histopathologic examination of the biopsy specimens showed epithelial lined cysts in the substantia propria, goblet cells, and secondary pigmentation of basilar keratinocytes.

Conclusions: Cystic benign melanosis, a unique conjunctival lesion, should be differentiated from cystic nevus and primary acquired melanosis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Case 1. Top. There is a raised, cystic, pigmented lesion on the temporal bulbar conjunctiva. Some of the cysts contain fluid. Middle. The lesion is composed of epithelial inclusion cysts in the substantia propria. Bottom. Some of the basilar keratinocytes of the cysts are secondarily pigmented with melanin pigment. (hematoxylin and eosin, middle 25X, bottom 100X)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Case 2. Top left. There is a patchy, pigmented cystic lesion in the superior-nasal bulbar conjunctiva. Top right. There is secondary pigmentation of basilar keratinocytes in the epithelium and within epithelial inclusion cysts in the substantia propria. Bottom left. Some of the epithelial inclusion cysts are filled with proliferations of epithelium. Bottom right. Other epithelial inclusion cysts contain proteinaceous material in their lumens. (hematoxylin and eosin top right 25X, bottom right and left 100X)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Case 3. Top. Abnormal pigmentation of the conjunctiva at the superior and temporal limbus with extension into the bulbar conjunctiva. Prominent striate melanokeratosis is present throughout the cornea extending into the visual axis. Middle. There is secondary pigmentation of the basilar keratinocytes and an epithelial inclusion cyst in the substantia propria. Bottom. There is secondary pigmentation in the basilar keratinocytes in the epithelial inclusion cyst. (hematoxylin and eosin, middle 25X, bottom 100X)
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References

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