Caliber persistent artery of the eyelid.

BACKGROUND

To report three cases of caliber persistent artery presenting in the eyelid.

METHODS

A case series describing three patients with vascular lesions of the eyelid that were biopsied. One case was bilateral.

RESULTS

All three patients presented with a painless red lesion on the eyelid. These were on the lower eyelid in two patients and the upper eyelid in one patient. For the bilateral case, the lesions were both on the lower eyelid. Histological examination of all four biopsies showed a large caliber artery within the dermis extending almost at right angles to the skin surface and consistent with caliber persistent artery.

CONCLUSIONS

These are the first reports of caliber persistent artery of the eyelids, an entity that is most commonly recognized on the lips. Clinicians should consider this entity in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with a painless, vascular lesion of the eyelid.