Surgical Management Of Corneal Limbal Dermoids: A Case Series And Report Of Local Outcomes At A Tertiary Centre In The United Kingdom

To report the local outcomes for corneal limbal dermoids in children and adults with shave excision biopsy and conjunctival flap advancement.

A tertiary referral centre in the United Kingdom. 

Corneal limbal dermoids are congenital benign choristomas that most commonly arise at the inferotemporal corneoscleral limbus and have both visual and cosmetic implications. We describe a case series of five patients with Grade I corneal limbal dermoids managed with shave excision biopsy and conjunctival flap advancement.

Five eyes of five patients (three female, two male) aged 8–22 years underwent surgical excision primarily for cosmetic indications. Shave excision was performed to bare sclera, and the surrounding conjunctiva was mobilised to allow direct closure over the scleral bed using absorbable sutures. Post-operatively, patients were treated with intensive topical lubricants and chloramphenicol ointment.

At two-week follow-up, complete corneal epithelial healing was observed in all cases with no evidence of corneoscleral melt. At most recent follow-up (range 6 months to 9 years), visual acuity was maintained in all patients, with no development of pseudopterygium or progression of corneal distortion.

Shave excision with conjunctival flap advancement appears to be a safe and effective minimally invasive technique for selected cases of Corneal limbal dermoid. This technique provides favourable cosmetic and visual outcomes whilst preserving corneal integrity and avoiding the need for more complex ocular surface reconstruction procedures that may increase operative time, cost, and surgical morbidity.