Understanding Morbihan Disease: A Scoping Review of the Clinical Features, Diagnosis, Histopathology, and Management

Morbihan disease is a rare chronic disorder characterized by persistent facial edema that is thought to result from lymphatic dysfunction associated with chronic inflammation. Because the condition is uncommon, the available literature consists primarily of case reports and small case series. This scoping review aimed to summarize the published literature on the clinical presentation, histopathologic findings, diagnostic approaches, and treatment outcomes of Morbihan disease. A literature search of PubMed identified 55 eligible studies comprising 136 patients. Morbihan disease most commonly affected middle-aged adults and was frequently associated with rosacea. Persistent edema most often involved the upper and lower eyelids, followed by the cheeks and forehead. The most frequently reported histopathologic findings were dermal edema, perivascular lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrates, granulomatous inflammation, and dilated lymphatic vessels. A variety of medical and surgical treatments were reported, with tetracycline-class antibiotics, corticosteroids, and isotretinoin used most frequently. Treatment outcomes were variable, with partial improvement reported more often than complete resolution. Overall, these findings highlight common patterns in Morbihan disease while also showing that its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood and that challenges remain in diagnosis and management.