Primary Systemic Amyloidosis involved the Conjunctiva

ABSTRACT

Amyloid may involve the conjunctiva without deposits of the skin of the eyelid in primary localized amyloidosis, but extremely rare in primary systemic amyloidosis. We describe the clinicopathologic features of a case of primary systemic amyloidosis which invloved the conjunctiva and larynx. A 58-years-old woman presented a conjuctival mass of the left eye. Slit lamp microscopy showed a pinkish, flat elevated mass on the bulbar conjunctiva, fornix, and upper tarsal conjunctiva. There was no history of antecedent ocular or systemic diseases. She had undergone total laryngectomy for laryngeal amyloidosis. Microscopically, a pale amorphous eosinophilic material was deposited in the subcojunctival tissue. The deposit showed metachromasia with crystal violet, and dichroism and birefringence in polarized light following Congo red staining. Electron microscopically amyloid was comprised of linear add non-branching fibrils, which were about 11nm in width.