Juxtapapillary retinal capillary hemangioma: A clinical and histopathological case report

Juxtapapillary retinal capillary hemangiomas (RCHs) are vascular hamartomas that occur adjacent to the optic disc. Juxtapapillary RCHs can be found as an isolated finding or in association with Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. VHL is a dominantly inherited disease that is characterized by multiple intracranial and retinal hemangioblastomas along with benign and malignant visceral tumors. RCH is a hallmark lesion in VHL and typically presents early in the disease.

We present the clinical and histopathological findings of a 15-month-old child with juxtapapillary RCH associated with exudative retinal detachment and a family history of VHL. The child presented initially at a late stage and lost to follow-up twice then came back with a blind painful eye secondary to neovascular glaucoma necessitating enucleation.

Although juxtapapillary RCHs are benign, slowly growing tumors, they pose a serious threat to central vision secondary to posterior segment complications such as intraretinal and subretinal exudation, macular edema and exudative retinal detachment and anterior segment complications such neovascular glaucoma if left untreated.

Juxtapapillary RCHs are potentially blinding tumors if not treated in early stages given their close proximity to the optic nerve (ON) and macula.