Nonspecific orbital inflammation and thyroid eye disease, a rare comorbidity: report of two cases and review of literature

BACKGROUND: To present the very rare comorbidity of developing non-specific orbital inflammation (NSOI) in two patients with histories of definite thyroid eye disease (TED). CASE PRESENTATION: Both patients complained of new-onset progressive proptosis although their thyroid disease was controlled and computed tomography scan revealed an intraorbital inflammatory mass. The pathological assessment indicated that both patients had developed fibrosing NSOI. Therefore, intravenous corticosteroids were administered. The mass regressed and the amount of proptosis was decreased in both patients. CONCLUSIONS: We reviewed all related cases in the literature and extracted their clinical and radiological characteristics for this paper. Ophthalmologists should consider TED and NSOI in patients with a new-onset complaint of proptosis. Despite rare comorbidity of TED and NSOI, it should be considered especially in patients with refractory proptosis, and lead to its further evaluation and prompt management.