[Orbital metastasis of kidney carcinoma].

PURPOSE: The case report of a patient with renal cell carcinoma and orbital metastasis is presented and the clinical and histological characteristics are discussed.

PATIENT: A 69-year-old man, status post nephrectomy secondary to a renal cell carcinoma, presented with a swelling of the lower lid, reduced visual acuity and visual field defects in the left eye. Ultrasonography and CAT scan revealed a well demarcated orbital tumor.

THERAPY: The tumor was excized in toto and the diagnosis orbital metastasis of a renal cell carcinoma verified histologically. The patient showed good postoperative recovery with greatly reduced clinical symptoms. Two years later a recurrence of the orbital tumor was noticed, which was also removed in toto.

CONCLUSION

The in toto excision of an orbital metastasis of a renal cell carcinoma is a valid therapeutic approach regarding the tumor morphology and the achievable postoperative symptomatic relief.