Orbital Schwannoma With Frontal Bone Lysis

Abstract

Orbital schwannoma is an exceptionally rare cause of ptosis. Diagnosis may be elusive given its slow rate of growth and its various presentations depending on localization. Herein, we report the case of a 50-year-old male who presented to our clinic with a complaint of unilateral, recurrent ptosis of the left eye. He underwent levator palpebrae resection, which was unsuccessful at improving his ptosis. He later represented with acute-onset diplopia for which magnetic resonance imaging was obtained. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a lesion in the superior orbit with secondary bony dehiscence of the orbital roof. Through a vertical lid-split incision, the lesion was removed, and the frontal lobe was observed protruding through the defect in the orbital roof. This case highlights the importance of diagnostic skepticism in the face of recurrent ptosis and emphasizes the utility of the vertical lid-split approach for anterior lesions of the superior orbit.