This study was aimed at to determine the frequency of excised conjunctival lesions in a patient population treated over a 10-year period.
The data of all excised conjunctival lesions with tissue diagnoses from 1998 to 2008 in the pathology department were analyzed.
The patient group comprised 192 conjunctival specimens; 106 (55.2%) obtained from male patients and 86 (44.8 %) from female patients. The age range was 75 years with a mean age of 27.07 ± 17 years. The most frequent excised lesions were pyogenic granulomas, which represented 30.7% (59 cases). Pigmented epithelial tumors were the second most common benign conjunctival lesions (44 cases, 22.9%). Out of these cases, compound nevus represented 86.4% (38 cases) and junctional nevus represented 6.8% (3 cases). Primary acquired melanosis and subepithelial nevus were reported in two cases (4.5%) and one case (2.3%), respectively. Cystic lesions represented 12% (23 cases). These were mostly ductal retention cysts in 16 cases (70%), occupying the fornix in eight cases. Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) was detected in 21 cases (10.9%) significantly affecting an older age group as compared to other lesions (mean age 45.9 ± 16.7). Other less frequent lesions included papilloma (10 cases, 2.5%), dermolipoma (8 cases, 4.2%), solid dermoid (3 cases, 1.6%), hemangioma (15 cases, 7.8%), and benign reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (four cases, 2.1%).