Pilomatrixoma of the eyelids--clinical differential diagnosis and follow-up. Report of 17 patients
Pilomatrixomas (benign epithelioma of Malherbe) are often located in the eyelid or eyebrow. Clinically the diagnosis is rarely made. Histologically, especially in partial biopsies, they can be confused with a basal cell carcinoma. We evaluated 17 tumors in 17 patients (19 months to 80 years old). The interval between the diagnosis and total excision of the mass ranged from 4 weeks to 2 years. The clinical misdiagnosis appeared to be related to the patient's age: A cystic dermoid (4x) was considered most frequently in children and sebaceous cyst or atheroma (5x) in patients of middle age. Further diagnoses were as follows: Chalazion, basal cell carcinoma or keratoacanthoma, epidermoid cyst, abscess, papilloma. Nine tumors showed calcifications that might be visible by X-ray examination. After a mean follow-up of 7.6 years no recurrence was observed. Pilomatrixoma should be included in the clinical differential diagnosis of subepidermal solid or cystic tumors, especially in the upper eyelid and eyebrow.