Clinical course of an incompletely removed cavernous hemangioma of the orbit

Cavernous hemangioma is a frequent tumor of the orbit in adults. Its complete removal results in dramatic relief of proptosis. The clinical course of an incompletely removed cavernous hemangioma is seldom recorded in the ophthalmic literature. The authors report the behavior of such a tumor that was observed during an 18-year period. Serial computed tomography (CT) documented a long period of slow growth, followed by a shorter interval of arrest, with eventual involution of tumor and relief of proptosis. No treatment was administered during observation.