Relapsing polychondritis, another cause for a "salmon patch".

Abstract

We present the case of a patient with long-standing relapsing polychondritis and, first, an orbital mass and, then, a "salmon patch" conjunctival mass. The histologic pathologic findings were similar on both occasions, showing an inflammatory process with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. In both situations, the masses responded to a short course of systemic corticosteroids. Although ocular inflammatory changes from relapsing polychondritis have been well described, to our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of conjunctival changes in the form of a salmon patch lesion, as described here. Relapsing polychondritis may be added to the differential diagnosis of a conjunctival salmon patch lesion.