Surgical Resolution of Unilateral Canine Orbital and Periorbital Lipomas in Five Dogs

Abstract

Purpose: To describe five cases of orbital lipoma in which surgery was successful and no long-term recurrence was observed.

Methods: A review of the medical records of dogs presenting with signs of orbital or periorbital disease and diagnosed with orbital lipoma in different practices in Spain and France was performed.

Results: Five cases with a mean (±SD) age of 9.32 (±1.95) years and different breeds were included. Three cases were referred for periocular mass, one for conjunctival mass, and one for exophthalmos. Computed tomography (CT) was performed in all cases and showed a well-defined hypoattenuating mass, not continuous with the orbital fat, compatible with orbital lipoma. Surgical management was based on the size and location of the lipomas. In all cases, the mass could be removed by blunt dissection. Histopathology confirmed fibrolipoma in two cases (one case with associated bone metaplasia), one simple lipoma, one infiltrating lipoma, and one chondrolipoma. Postoperative follow-up was uneventful, with no recurrence over 2 years after surgery in all cases.

Conclusion: Orbital and periorbital lipomas and their variants, although rare, may occur in dogs with clinical signs of orbital neoplasia. CT scan can predict the nature of the lesion as a lipoma. Surgical treatment is successful, with no recurrence more than 2 years after surgery. Histopathology is essential to determine the type of lipoma variant.

Keywords: chondrolipoma; fibrolipoma; infiltrative lipoma; lipoma; orbitotomy; periocular neoplasm.