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Objective To present a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed infarction and melting of the orbit secondary to her systemic disease. Design A case report. Participant A 61-year-old white woman with a 5-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods The patient presented with left orbital pain, limitation of extraocular movements, and a fistula from the ethmoid sinus to the upper eyelid. A detailed examination with computerized tomography, ultrasound, and a comprehensive medical evaluation with laboratory testing was performed. Histopathologic analysis with special stains of the orbital tissues was also performed. Results Histopathologic examination of the biopsy specimens revealed the features of an inflammatory process involving the orbit, similar to a panniculitis. These include a lymphocytic reaction with a predominance of plasma cells, vasculitis with occlusion, and thickening of the vessel walls, necrosis, and hyalinization of fat. Conclusion This is a unique case in which infarction and melting of the entire orbital structures occurred in the presence of systemic lupus erythematosus. The underlying disease process is a lupus-related panniculitis. The authors stress that this is a very rare entity and that other diseases should be ruled out before entertaining this diagnosis.

The authors examined 200 consecutive patients with pituitary adenomas admitted to the neuroendocrine service at the Montreal General Hospital between 1976 and 1981. The main presenting signs and symptoms were amenorrhea/impotence (70%), headache (46%), and typical acromegalic or cushingoid features (28%). Only 9% had visual field defects, 2% had optic atrophy, and 1% had ocular motility problems. A comparison of our findings with four previous studies has demonstrated an increasing incidence of reproductive system abnormalities and a decreasing incidence of visual abnormalities in patients with pituitary tumor. The reasons for this changing pattern are discussed and the role of the ophthalmologist in the care of these patients is redefined.