Otolaryngological manifestations of ligneous conjunctivitis.

Ligneous conjunctivitis is a rare condition that can involve the mucous membranes of the upper and lower airways and temporal bone extensively. This can lead to life threatening airway obstruction. Involvement of the middle ear and mastoid may cause significant conductive hearing loss. This is the first reported case with temporal bone sections of ligneous conjunctivitis, and awareness of the associated obstructive hydrocephalus may prevent death in this condition. Evidence suggests that plasminogen deficiency may be a causative factor in ligneous conjunctivitis, and this finding may offer new prospects for management.