TY - JOUR
T1 - Stones in the lacrimal gland: a rare condition
AU - Halborg, Jakob
AU - Prause, Jan Ulrik
AU - Toft, Peter Bjerre
AU - Skjødt, Karen
AU - Tommerup, Niels Rath
AU - Nielsen, Ole Faurskov
AU - Heegaard, Steffen
AU - Halborg, Jakob
AU - Prause, Jan Ulrik
AU - Toft, Peter Bjerre
AU - Skjødt, Karen
AU - Tommerup, Niels Rath
AU - Nielsen, Ole Faurskov
AU - Heegaard, Steffen
N1 - Keywords: Adult; Calculi; Humans; Lacrimal Apparatus; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Nasolacrimal Duct; Rare Diseases; Spectrum Analysis, Raman
PY - 2009/9/1
Y1 - 2009/9/1
N2 - PURPOSE: Stones (dacryoliths) in the lacrimal drainage system are relatively common. However, stones in the lacrimal gland itself are very rare. We present three cases of lacrimal gland stones and describe the clinical and histopathological characteristics and composition of the stones. METHODS: Three patients presented with swelling in the lateral canthal region of several months' duration. Clinical examination in each case revealed a mass adjacent to the lacrimal gland. We carried out surgical excision, histological examination and Raman spectroscopy. RESULTS: Histopathological examination of the excised material showed an eosinophilic, amorphic material organized in lamellae and localized in a ductule. The findings were consistent with a stone in the lacrimal gland in all three cases. All stones were composed of proteins of similar types. After surgery, the three patients healed without complications. CONCLUSIONS: Lacrimal gland stones represent a very rare but relevant differential diagnosis when a patient presents with unilateral persistent conjunctivitis or with a tumour in the lateral canthus. Treatment is excision under local anaesthesia.
AB - PURPOSE: Stones (dacryoliths) in the lacrimal drainage system are relatively common. However, stones in the lacrimal gland itself are very rare. We present three cases of lacrimal gland stones and describe the clinical and histopathological characteristics and composition of the stones. METHODS: Three patients presented with swelling in the lateral canthal region of several months' duration. Clinical examination in each case revealed a mass adjacent to the lacrimal gland. We carried out surgical excision, histological examination and Raman spectroscopy. RESULTS: Histopathological examination of the excised material showed an eosinophilic, amorphic material organized in lamellae and localized in a ductule. The findings were consistent with a stone in the lacrimal gland in all three cases. All stones were composed of proteins of similar types. After surgery, the three patients healed without complications. CONCLUSIONS: Lacrimal gland stones represent a very rare but relevant differential diagnosis when a patient presents with unilateral persistent conjunctivitis or with a tumour in the lateral canthus. Treatment is excision under local anaesthesia.
U2 - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2008.01301.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2008.01301.x
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 18700886
SN - 1395-3907
VL - 87
SP - 672
EP - 675
JO - Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica
JF - Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica
IS - 6
ER -