Hypoglobus due to tumours in the superior orbital region

Tumours in the superior orbital region can cause hypoglobus. We compare the pre- and postoperative globe position in two patients with different tumour types.

A 29-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman presented with pronounced hypoglobus. In both patients time-scale and importance of the lesion were comparable. Imaging suggested a pleomorphic adenoma in the younger patient, whereas the female patient was radiologically diagnosed with a hemangioma.

Both radiological diagnoses could be histologically proven. Both lesions were excised in toto. The adenoma patient showed a full recovery of the preoperatively reduced vision. However, the hypoglobus persisted even after ten months. The hemangioma patient had an immediate full recovery of her hypoglobus.

The histological type of a tumor in the superior orbit is of importance regarding the degree of reversibility of the accompanying hypoglobus.