Intraocular myofibroblastoma in an infant: a case report

BACKGROUND: Myofibroblastoma is a benign tumor composed of spindle cells and bands of hyalinized collagen. Intraocular myofibroblastoma in infancy is rarely encountered. CASE PRESENTATION: The present study reports the case of a 4-month-old female baby with intraocular myofibroblastoma. She was suspected as corneal perforation due to the rupture of a corneal neoplasm in the right eye. The anterior segment was also involved according to the Color Doppler ultrasonography. A surgical exploration was performed and the protuberant part of the mass was resected. Conventional HE staining showed numerous spindle-shaped cells with bands of collagen beneath multilayers of well-differentiated corneal epithelia. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the tumor cells were strong positive for vimentin and smooth muscle actin, while negative for S-100 protein. The mass was confirmed as myofibroblastoma. After 12 month follow-up, there was no apparent growth of the tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Myofibroblastoma is a very rare type of intraocular neoplasm, which may have complicated manifestation and could be misdiagnosed as dermoid or Peter’s anomaly. Histopathological and immunohistochemical staining is crucial to form a precise diagnosis.