Case report of ocular Kaposi's sarcoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Oncology
• Transplantation Immunology

Background:

• Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a vascular neoplasm often associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or immunosuppression post-organ transplant.
• Ocular KS, particularly involving the sclera, cornea, and conjunctiva, is rare.
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) are common risk factors for KS.

Observation:

• A 13-year-old male, post-peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, developed ocular KS originating from the sclera and spreading to the cornea and conjunctiva.
• The patient was negative for HIV and HHV-8 infection.
• Initial treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy failed to halt the progression of ocular lesions.

Findings:

• Complete surgical excision of the ocular tumors was performed.
• The excision was combined with intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC).
• Reconstruction involved a limbo-corneal lamellar graft, amniotic membrane, and scleral allograft transplantation, leading to successful KS resolution.

Implications:

• This case highlights a rare presentation of ocular KS in an immunocompromised patient without typical risk factors.
• Complete surgical excision coupled with intraoperative MMC and reconstructive grafting offers a viable treatment strategy for ocular KS.
• The successful outcome suggests that this multimodal approach can effectively prevent KS recurrence in ocular tissues.