Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of congenital choristomas in the ocular adnexa of pediatric patients.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of infants presenting with conjunctival, palpebral, or orbital congenital choristomas (dermolipomas, epidermoids, and dermoid cysts) and children undergoing surgery for congenital choristomas in the ocular adnexa. METHODS: We reviewed the medical files of congenital choristomas in children seen in The Capital Region of Denmark during a 5-year period (2014-2018). Children (< 18 years) were divided into two groups those referred < 1 year of age (Group I) and those undergoing surgery to remove the lesion (Group II). Group I was used to calculate a population-based incidence of congenital choristomas by comparing our data to birth statistics from the Danish Medical Birth Registry. RESULTS: A total of 97 children were included, 43 in Group I and 70 in Group II (including 16 patients from Group I). The total incidence of congenital choristomas was 1 in 2537 live born children. Most lesions were palpebral choristomas (27/43, 63%) located in the superotemporal region (17/27, 63%), followed by the superonasal region (7/27, 26%). The main reasons for surgical removal of a congenital choristoma were growth (28/70, 40%) or cosmesis (25/70, 36%). CONCLUSION: The total incidence of congenital choristomas in the ocular adnexa of infants < 1 year of age, including both conjunctival and palpebral congenital choristomas, is about 1 in 2537 live born children in The Capital Region of Denmark. Hence, congenital choristomas are common masses found in the ocular adnexa.