An 8-year-old boy with a history of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) presented with a one-year history of a painless, reddish mass on the right upper palpebral conjunctiva. The lesion was unresponsive to intensive medical management for VKC. Surgical excision was performed, and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of an acquired capillary hemangioma, which was further supported by CD34-positive and GLUT-1-negative immunohistochemistry. This case is noteworthy for its rare occurrence in the pediatric palpebral conjunctiva and its association with VKC. We propose a potential pathophysiological link between the chronic, pro-angiogenic state of VKC and the development of such vascular tumors. The report highlights the importance of histopathological and immunohistochemical distinction from pyogenic granuloma.
Alhaimi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.