Orbital Kimura's disease recurred locally in over a quarter of patients long-term.
Long-term clinical course and recurrence pattern of orbital Kimura's disease: a retrospective case series.
Runzi Yang … Jing Li
BMC ophthalmology · 2026
Background
Kimura's disease (KD) is a rare chronic inflammatory disorder that predominantly affects young Asian males and typically involves the head and neck region.
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the clinical features, imaging characteristics, treatment strategies, and long-term prognosis of orbital KD.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective case series of patients with histopathologically confirmed KD involving the orbit at a single tertiary referral center between January 2010 and December 2025.
Results
28.6%
recurred locally in more than 1 in 4 patients over years of follow-up
More results
Painless eyelid swelling was the most common presenting symptom (62.5%).
The eyelid and lacrimal gland were the most frequently involved structures.
Surgery combined with systemic glucocorticoid therapy was the primary treatment modality (87.5%).
No distant disease progression, metastasis, or disease-related mortality was observed.
“
Conclusion · 1 of 2
Orbital KD predominantly affects young males and most commonly involves the eyelid and lacrimal gland. Although local recurrence may occur, the long-term prognosis appears favorable.
Conclusion · 2 of 2
Structured follow-up remains important for detecting recurrence and guiding subsequent management.