Recurrent benign ossifying fibroma of the orbit - clinical, radiological profile and management options in a child

ABSTRACT

Ossifying fibroma (OF) is a benign fibro-osseous neoplasm which may be mistaken for other similar lesions due to overlapping clinical and radiological features. We report a 5-year-old male child with recurrent benign OF of the orbit. The child had two episodes of recurrence in a span of 18 months. Computed tomography (CT) of orbit showed a large, lobulated expansile fibro-osseous lesion involving the greater wing of sphenoid and orbital roof without intracranial extension. An excisional biopsy was done though an orbital approach. Histopathology showed fibroblast rich stroma with bony trabeculae. Osteoblastic rimming without any mitotic activity was suggestive of juvenile OF. The child developed a recurrence 6 months following the initial excision, and surgical excision was done by a neurosurgeon using a bicoronal approach. The patient had another recurrence after 1 year requiring further surgery. At 2-year follow up there was no recurrence. Juvenile OF is the most aggressive variant that commonly occurs in children, the other benign fibro-osseous lesions being fibrous dysplasias (FDs), osseous dysplasias, and familial gigantiform cementomas.

KEYWORDS:

• Fibro-osseous neoplasm
• ossifying fibroma
• osteoblasts
• osteoclasts

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Acknowledgments

Dr Olma Veena Noronha, M.D. (Radiology). VRR Scans, Chennai.

Dr Balamurugan M, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Brain & Spine Hospitals, Chennai, 600035. India.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.