Clinical and pathological status of mesectodermal leiomyoma of the ciliary body. A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

The case of a 28-year-old woman with a well-vascularized, yellowish neoplasm in her right eye is reported. The findings upon slit-lamp examination and fluorescein iridography strongly suggested a malignant lesion. The tumor and the adjacent portion of the iris, angle structures, ciliary body, cornea, and sclera were removed en bloc under the half-thickness corneoscleral flap. On the basis of light-microscopic studies, the tumor was suspected to be a neurogenic or glial tumor but further studies confirmed it to be a mesectodermal leiomyoma of the ciliary body. Electron-microscopic studies revealed the smooth muscle nature of the tumor. Because of the high percentage of benign lesions in this site, we believe that even though examinations may suggest malignancy, excision of the tumor should be preferred to enucleation of the globe in cases of ciliary tumor.