Periorbital dermoid cysts should be removed because they commonly leak their irritant contents into the surrounding tissues. The underlying bone may, however, be involved in patients with dermoid cysts at the outer canthus. Computed tomography studies of 70 patients (43 men and 27 women, aged 30 months to 63 years, mean 29 years) with proved dermoid cysts of this type were reviewed. The lesion was always unilateral; 34 were on the left. The bone of the lateral wall and superotemporal angle of the orbit showed the following abnormalities, often in combination: pressure erosion in 61 cases and an otherwise abnormal shape, probably developmental, in 55; the dermoid cyst entered a tunnel or canal through the lateral wall in 24; a blind pit or crater in 15; and a cleft in 20; many patients also showed abnormal bone texture. These findings are extremely important for planning adequate surgery, and indicate that bony involvement is much more frequent than previously appreciated.

Australian and New Zealand Journal of OphthalmologyVolume 21, Issue 4 p. 273-274 Free Access Chronic canaliculitis Timothy J Sullivan FRACO, FRACS, FCOphth, Corresponding Author Timothy J Sullivan FRACO, FRACS, FCOphth *Lacrimal Clinic, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Visiting Ophthalmologist, The Royal Children's Hospital, Herston Road, Herston, Queensland 4029, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorKimberley N Hakin FRCS, FCOphth, Kimberley N Hakin FRCS, FCOphth *Lacrimal Clinic, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Search for more papers by this authorNik Sathananthan MRCS, MRCP, FRCR, Nik Sathananthan MRCS, MRCP, FRCR †The Department of Radiology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Search for more papers by this authorGeoffrey E Rose MS, FRCS, FCOphth, Geoffrey E Rose MS, FRCS, FCOphth *Lacrimal Clinic, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Search for more papers by this authorIvan F Moseley MD, FRCP, FRCR, Ivan F Moseley MD, FRCP, FRCR †The Department of Radiology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Search for more papers by this author Timothy J Sullivan FRACO, FRACS, FCOphth, Corresponding Author Timothy J Sullivan FRACO, FRACS, FCOphth *Lacrimal Clinic, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Visiting Ophthalmologist, The Royal Children's Hospital, Herston Road, Herston, Queensland 4029, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorKimberley N Hakin FRCS, FCOphth, Kimberley N Hakin FRCS, FCOphth *Lacrimal Clinic, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Search for more papers by this authorNik Sathananthan MRCS, MRCP, FRCR, Nik Sathananthan MRCS, MRCP, FRCR †The Department of Radiology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Search for more papers by this authorGeoffrey E Rose MS, FRCS, FCOphth, Geoffrey E Rose MS, FRCS, FCOphth *Lacrimal Clinic, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Search for more papers by this authorIvan F Moseley MD, FRCP, FRCR, Ivan F Moseley MD, FRCP, FRCR †The Department of Radiology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, England.Search for more papers by this author First published: November 1993 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9071.1993.tb00968.xCitations: 12AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. References 1 Sathananthan N., Sullivan TJ, Rose GE, Moseley IF. Intubation macrodacryocystography in patients with a clinical diagnosis of chronic canaliculitis (“streptothrix”). Br J Radiol 1993; in press. 2 Penikett EJK, Rees DL. Nocardia asteroides infection of the nasal lacrimal system. Am J Ophthalmol 1962; 53: 1006–8. 3 Weinberg RJ, Sartoris MJ, Buerger GF, Novak JF. Fusobac-terium in presumed actinomyces canaliculitis. Am J Ophthalmol 1977; 84: 371–4. 4 Seal DV, McGill J., Flanagan D., Purrier B. Lacrimal canaliculitis due to arachnia (actinomyces) propionica. Br J Ophthalmol 1981; 65: 10–3. 5 Nunery WR, Wilson FMI. Suppurative canaliculitis. In: Advances in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Pergamon Press Ltd, 1984: 157–64. 6 Demant E., Hurwitz JJ. Canaliculitis: review of 12 cases. Can J Ophthalmol 1980; 15: 73–5. Citing Literature Volume21, Issue4November 1993Pages 273-274 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Magnification dacryocystography in 18 patients with chronic infective canaliculitis showed dilatation and irregularity of the affected lacrimal canaliculi, with prominent filling defects in almost all cases. Filling defects are uncommon in other diseases of the canaliculi and serve to confirm the diagnosis.

Periorbital dermoid cysts should beremoved because they commonly leak their irritant contents into thesurrounding tissues. Theunderlying bonemay,however, beinvolved in patients withdermoid cystsattheouter canthus. Computed tomography studies of70 patients (43men and27women,aged30 months to63years, mean29years) with proved dermoid cysts ofthis typewerereviewed. The lesion wasalways unilateral; 34wereonthe left. Theboneofthelateral wail andsuperotemporal angle oftheorbit showedthefoliowingabnormalities, oftenincombination: pressure erosion in61cases andanotherwise abnormal shape, probably developmental, in 55;thedermoid cystentered atunnel orcanal through thelateral wallin24;ablind pitor crater in15;andacleft in20;manypatients alsoshowedabnormal bonetexture. These findings areextremely important forplanning adequate surgery, andindicate thatbony involvement ismuchmorefrequent thanpreviously appreciated. (Br_r Ophthalmol 1993; 77:789-794)

Orbital haemangiopericytomas are ideally managed by complete surgical excision in the first instance. This is frequently not achieved, because difficulty in making the diagnosis preoperatively results in incisional biopsy and the highly vascular nature of the tumour makes complete excision difficult. A series of 12 patients with orbital haemangiopericytoma seen over a 23-year period is presented. The following combination of clinical and radiological features is suggestive of haemangiopericytoma. 1. Painless non-axial proptosis with downward displacement of the globe. 2. Intermittent upper lid swelling. 3. A soft, superiorly located mass with poorly defined borders, especially with a blue hue. 4. A superiorly located, rounded or elongated extraconal mass on CT, isodense with brain, with smooth, well-defined borders and moderate to marked enhancement with the injection of intravenous contrast medium. 5. Significant blush in all three phases of carotid angiography, without prominent arteriovenous shunting. Once haemangiopericytoma is suspected, complete surgical excision is recommended.