Orbital necrobiotic xanthogranuloma with necrotizing scleritis and absent cutaneous manifestations

ABSTRACT

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG) is a rare systemic disease, that commonly manifests with orbital and ocular adnexal involvement, presenting with periocular yellow papules and plaques that may ulcerate. Periorbital skin lesions are a hallmark of the disease, and in their absence the diagnosis may be delayed, preventing prompt systemic evaluation and appropriate treatment of this condition. We report a unique case of a 58-year-old female patient with NXG that presented with severe bilateral necrotizing scleritis, left orbital mass and no cutaneous manifestations of NXG. This case highlights the importance of considering NXG, despite absence of skin lesions, when other ophthalmological manifestations are present. Recognition of NXG is crucial due to the high lifelong risk of developing hematological malignancy.

KEYWORDS:

• Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma
• orbital mass
• necrotizing scleritis

Disclosure statement

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