A rare orbital tumor: benign isolated orbital schwannoma

Schwannomas, arising from the nerve sheath, are rare tumors of the orbit. They may present with various clinical presentations depending on localization of tumors in the orbit and the nerve from which they arise. Therefore, they should be considered as differential diagnosis of orbital disease. In this study, the case of isolated orbital schwannoma is discussed in the light of the literature. A 41 year old female patient was referred to the hospital with a painless mass localized near the inferior part of the left orbit. Eye examination of the patient was normal except for the mass. Orbital computerized tomography showed a wellbordered, solid softtissue lesion measuring 15x10 mm in size, located in the extraconal space of the inferolateral orbit. As a result of the histopatholgical examination of the totally excised mass, the diagnosis was established as benign shwannoma. No complications were observed during the one-year follow-up of the patient.