Recurrent proptotic diplopia due to congestive expansion of cavernous haemangioma with relapsing right-sided cardiac failure.

Abstract

A 75-year-old man with a recent history of pulmonary embolism, presented with collapse followed by a gran mal seizure and right-sided non-pulsatile proptosis. On recovery, he had diplopia on lateral and upward gaze and signs of congestive cardiac failure. Further pulmonary embolism was proven by lung scintigraphy. Computed tomography of his orbits confirmed a contrast-enhancing space-occupying lesion of the medial wall of the right orbit, with no intracranial abnormality. The patient was investigated for metastatic tumour as a possible cause of the space-occupying lesion and the unprovoked thromboembolic event, but no evidence of malignancy was found. The orbital lesion was not biopsied because of the risk of bleeding from anticoagulation. Three weeks later, the patient represented with recurrent cardiac failure, proptosis, and diplopia. A transorbital ultrasound confirmed an encapsulated, well-defined vascular lesion, with typical appearances and Doppler flow characteristics of a cavernous haemangioma. Diuretic therapy abolished the proptosis and diplopia in tandem with relief of the cardiac failure. This is the first description of recurrent proptosis with diplopia due to recurrent congestive expansion of an orbital cavernous haemangioma.