Demography of patients with periocular dermoid cysts

ABSTRACT

To study the demographics of patients admitted in the hospital with histologically proven periocular dermoid cysts. A retrospective descriptive case series. Department of Ophthalmology Khyber Institute of Ophthalmic Medical Science, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar from July, 2004 to March, 2007. Clinical characteristics of patients with dermoid cysts admitted to the hospital were retrieved from patient charts. A note was made of its frequency, age, gender and laterality. Other features like site, size, depth, histology and presenting features were also looked for. Patient's age at the time of surgery was also noted. The frequency of dermoid cysts was 40.8% amongst orbital cases. Majority [65.7%] were females and 73.6% patients were below 15 years of age. The disease was right sided in 55.2%. Majority were superficial dermoids [71.0%] followed by conjunctival dermoids [15.7%] and deep dermoids [13.1%]. The most frequent clinical finding was a mass in 84.2%. Most patients [44.7%] were below 10 years at the time of surgery. The disease is more common in females and children. Superficial dermoids are more frequent. Presentation is usually with a subcutaneous mass and treatment of choice is surgical excision