27 - Benign Lid Tumors

Abstract

Eyelid lesions can originate from any layer of structure of the eyelid and surrounding adnexa. Benign eyelid lesions can be solid or cystic and may appear as solitary lesions or in multiples. The following benign tumors of the eyelids are discussed in this chapter. Epidermal tumors include acrochordon (skin tag), epidermal inclusion cyst (sebaceous cyst, epidermoid cyst), seborrheic keratosis, milia, keratoacanthoma, inverted follicular keratosis, cutaneous horn, linear epidermal nevus, nodular elastosis with cysts and comedones, actinic keratosis (solar keratosis), dermoid cyst, epidermoid cyst, oncocytoma, and phakomatous choristoma. Tumors of dermal origin include neurofibroma, neuroma, and granular cell tumor. A benign tumor of the smooth muscle is leiomyoma. Benign vascular tumors include nevus flammeus, capillary hemangioma (strawberry nevus), cherry hemangioma, cavernous hemangioma, varix, lymphatic malformation, arteriovenous malformation, pyogenic granuloma, glomus tumor, intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia, and angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia. Histiocytic tumors include xanthelasma, xanthoma, juvenile xanthogranuloma, and dermatofibroma. Adnexal tumors include syringoma, eccrine spiradenoma, eccrine acrospiroma, eccrine hidrocystoma, pleomorphic adenoma, apocrine hydrocystoma, cylindroma, syringocystadenoma papilliferum, trichoepithelioma, trichoadenoma, trichofolliculoma, trichilemmoma, pilomatricoma, sebaceous hyperplasia, sebaceous adenoma, nevocellular nevus, junctional nevus, compound nevus, blue nevus, nevus of Ota, freckle (ephelis), and lentigo. Many eyelid lesions are diagnosed on the basis of characteristic appearance. A biopsy is obtained if there are any suspicious characteristics such as growth, asymmetry, irregular shape, itching, pain, or bleeding.