Abstract

Schwannomas otherwise referred to as neurilemmomas are benign, slowly progressing, encapsulated tumors arising from Schwann cells in the peripheral nerve sheath.Solitary orbital schwannomas account for 1% of orbital neoplasms.The present case deals with the rare occurrence of a retro-orbital, intraconal cystic schwannoma in a 53 year-old lady who presented with unilateral proptosis and was clinically diagnosed as an intraconal cyst for which a differential diagnosis of parasitic cyst was also considered and radiologically diagnosed as a retro-orbital intraconal lymphangioma. The variable presentation and location of this tumor can certainly make the diagnosis difficult which may be confirmed only by histopathological examination as in the present case. Our patient underwent a successful complete surgical excision before any complications could ensue and the specimen was sent for histopathological examination and revealed it to be cystic Schwannoma.