Preoperative embolisation of orbital solitary fibrous tumour

Abstract

Solitary fibrous tumours (SFT) is an encompassing terminology comprising of tumours with proliferating CD34 positive specialised fibroblasts. Orbital SFTs are rare slowly progressive highly vascular neoplasms. Complete surgical excision is considered the mainstay treatment. Incomplete resection is a known risk factor for recurrence and malignant transformation. Recently preoperative embolisation of SFT has shown promising results in reducing the vascularity of these tumours rendering them amenable to complete surgical excision. Less than 10 cases of embolisation of orbital solitary fibrous tumours have been described in literature. Our patient underwent an attempted surgical excision elsewhere with significant intraoperative haemorrhage which precluded its complete excision. Herein, we report successful outcome in a case of hypervascular orbital SFT managed with preoperative embolisation, surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy along with a review of relevant literature.