Progressive conjunctival invasion of cornea in a child with Warburg-Cinotti Syndrome: a case report

Abstract

BackgroundWarburg-Cinotti syndrome is a rare syndrome caused by de novo or inherited variants in discoding domain receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (DDR2). Only six cases have been reported worldwide and our knowledge of this disease remained sparse especially from an ophthalmological perspective, since previous literature mostly focused on systemic malformations or genetics.Case presentationA seven-year-old boy developed a gelatinous vascularized conjunctiva-like mass secondary to trauma. The mass enlarged and gradually invaded the cornea. With each surgical intervention, the mass recurred and grew even larger rapidly. The patient ended up with the mass covering the entire cornea along with symblepharon formation. Whole exome sequencing revealed a hemizygous variant in the DDR2 gene, which is consistent with Warburg-Cinotti syndrome.ConclusionsConsidering Warburg-Cinotti syndrome, we should be vigilant of patients exhibiting progressive conjunctival invasion of the cornea, even those without systemic manifestations or a positive family history.