Lymph node metastases arising from uveal melanoma

Since the eye lacks lymphatic vessels, uveal melanomas primarily metastasize hematogenously. Here we report the case of a patient with ciliary body ring melanoma who developed lymph node metastases after a fistulating glaucoma operation. A 40-year-old female Caucasian patient presented with unilateral pigment dispersion. Pigment dispersion glaucoma was diagnosed and since the intraocular pressure could not be managed with topical medication, transscleral cyclophotocoagulation and two trabeculectomies had to be performed. Due to enlargement of the pigmented iris mass and cell deposits in the chamber angle, a ciliary body ring melanoma was presumed and the eye enucleated. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of “ciliary body ring melanoma”. Six months after enucleation the patient presented multiple metastases including ipsilateral preauricular and submandibular lymph node metastases. The patient died two months later. Lymph node metastases arising from ciliary body melanomas are very rare. Tumor seeding through the trabeculectomy site into the bleb and then via conjunctival lymphatic vessels might be the crucial factor for this pathway of metastases. Therefore, in cases of unilateral pigment dispersion, malignancy should be excluded before fistulating operations are performed.