Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy causing cystoid macular edema and the response to Ranibizumb intravitreal treatment / Vasculopatia coroidiana polipoidal causando edema macular cistóide e a resposta ao tratamento com Ranibizumab

PURPOSE: To report a polypoidal vascular choroidopathy clinical case causing cystoid macular edema and the response to Ranibizumab intravitreal treatment. METHODS: A 62-year old caucasian woman was referred by her comprehensive ophthalmologist for retinal avaliation. On presentation best corrected visual acuity was 20/100 in the left eye and 20/20 in right eye.Anterior segment examination was unremarkable in both eyes. Clinical examination and FA on the left eye demonstrated numerous small drusen and a cystoid macular edema due leakage from any polips in justapapilar region and from polips in the superior arcade vascular region and subretinal fluid and cystic change in the OCT.The right eye had FA normal. The patient refused to submitt a ICGV angiography. The patient was treated by intravitreal ranibizumab injections in the left eye every 4 weeks, 3 injections ,three months. RESULTS: The patient showed resolution both of cystic change and subretinal fluid in the OCT, and the visual acuity in the six months follow-up improved to 20/25. The patient was followed by 18 months at this time and the visual acuity remained stable 20/25. CONCLUSION: We reported a patient case of cystoid macular edema from a polypoidal choroidal vaculopathy that responded well to ranibizumab intravitreal injection as monotheraphy with disappearance of the initial subretinal fluid and cystic change in OCT follow-up and stop the polips.

OBJETIVO: Relatar um caso de paciente com Vasculopatia coroidiana polipoidal com edema macular cistóide e a resposta ao tratamento com Ranibizumab intravítrea como monoterapia MÉTODOS: Uma paciente com 62 anos foi referida por seu oftalmologista para avaliação retiniana . Apresentava acuidade visual com correção de 20/100 no olho esquerdo e 20/20 no olho direito. A avaliação do segmento anterior era normal em ambos os olhos. No exame de fundo de olho e retinografia fluoresceínica apresentava numerosas drussas pequenas e edema macular cistóide devido a vazamentos de alguns pólipos vasculares coroidianos na arcada vascular superior e ainda fluido sub-retiniano e alteração cística no OCT . O olho direito apresentava angiografia fluoresceínica da retina e OCT normais.A paciente recusou-se a se submeter a vídeoangiografia com indocianina verde. A paciente foi tratada com injeção intravítrea de Ranibizumab como monoterapia, sendo uma injeção a cada quatro semanas, três injeções em três meses. RESULTADOS: A paciente apresentou resolução da alteração cística e do fluido sub-retiniano, ambos presentes no OCT prévio ao tratamento no olho esquerdo. A acuidade visual melhorou para 20/25 após 6 meses de tratamento. A paciente permanence com acuidade visual estável de 20/25 após 18 meses de acompanhamento. CONCLUSÃO: Reportamos um caso de paciente com edema macular cistóide originada da vasculopatia coroidiana polipoidal que respondeu ao tratamento com Ranibizumab intravítrea, como monoterapia com desaparecimento do fluido sub-retiniano e da alteração cística no OCT tendo cessado o vazamento dos pólipos que eram a causa do edema macular cistóde.

Flare up of choroiditis and choroidal neovasculazation associated with punctate inner choroidopathy during early pregnancy.

A 28-year-old, healthy female, who had a recent repeated history of miscarriage, presented with bilateral choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVM), for which she received photodynamic therapy with three doses of lucentis, at intervals of one month each, to which she responded. After five months, the patient again presented with complaints of diminution of vision since 15 days. She had a history of miscarriage two days before presenting to our clinic. CNVM was scarred at this time and the fundus picture showed multiple small punctate spots around the fovea at the level of the choroid, which showed early hyperfluroscence on fundus fluorescein angiography, suggestive of punctate inner choroidopathy. She was advised systemic steroids, to which she responded dramatically.

Clinical features, management and visual outcome of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Indian patients.

Aims: To present the clinical, indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) features and results of treatment for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in Indian patients by a retrospective chart review. Materials and Methods: Forty five patients with PCV underwent complete ocular examination, fluorescein angiography (FFA) and ICGA. Treatment was advised for patients with macular involvement and progressive loss of visual acuity. Demographic data, clinical features and results of treatment were analyzed. Results: Mean age at presentation was 61.06 years. Mean follow up was 18 months. The disease was more prevalent in males. Forty three patients had unilateral disease. The most common location of polyps in ICGA was subfoveal (42.5%). Exudative form was seen in 34 of the 47 eyes and the remaining 13 eyes had a hemorrhagic presentation. Thirty four eyes underwent treatment which included thermal laser (n = 11), photodynamic therapy (PDT) (n = 11) and transpupillary thermo therapy (TTT) (n = 12). Statistical analysis was done using the Chi-square test. Subgroup analysis of visual outcome following various modalities of treatment showed that the results of PDT (P < 0.001) and thermal laser (P < 0.001) were statistically significant. Conclusions: PCV is an important differential diagnosis in patients presenting with serosanginous maculopathy and submacular hemorrhage. The disease was more prevalent in males and was unilateral in the Indian population. Timely intervention in cases with symptomatic polyps could achieve stabilization of visual acuity. Thermal laser and PDT were safe and effective.

Intravitreal bevacizumab for choroidal neovascular membrane associated with Best's vitelliform dystrophy.

Best's vitelliform macular dystrophy is a hereditary form of progressive macular dystrophy that can be complicated by choroidal neovascularization. Authors report successful treatment of choroidal neovascularization with intravitreal bevacizumab in one such eye in an ‘adult’ Indian male with visual improvement. A 23-year-old male presented with diminution of vision in the right eye for the past sixteen months. Visual acuity was 20/400 in the that eye. After three consecutive intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml), vision improved to 20/120. Seven months following the last injection of bevacizumab, fundus appeared stable and visual acuity was maintained. No drug-related ocular or systemic side effects were encountered. To the best of our knowledge (PubMed search), this is the first report of its kind in an adult Indian patient. Intravitreal bevacizumab appears to be a promising and cost-effective modality of treatment in such eyes with potential for improvement in vision. However, a long-term follow-up is warranted.

Pneumatic displacement and intravitreal bevacizumab: a new approach for management of submacular hemorrhage in choroidal neovascular membrane.

Choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) is one of the most common causes of submacular hemorrhage (SMH). Conventional treatment involves management of the SMH with pneumatic displacement with or without tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) followed by intravitreal injection of bevacizumab in a second sitting. We decided to assess the efficacy of treating SMH secondary to CNVM with pneumatic displacement using sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) gas and intravitreal bevacizumab. Four patients with SMH secondary to CNVM were included in this study. Intravitreal bevacizumab, 0.05 ml, along with 0.5 ml of SF6 was injected through the pars plana into the vitreous cavity. Postoperative best corrected visual acuity improved in all eyes with complete or partial displacement of SMH out of the foveal area.

Photodynamic Therapy With Verteporfin for Choroidal Neovascularization in Patients with Angioid Streaks

PURPOSE: To evaluate the functional and anatomic outcomes of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with angioid streaks. METHODS: The authors retrospectively evaluated 6 consecutive patients (6 eyes) with CNV secondary to angioid streaks. All patients were treated with standard PDT with verteporfin protocol. Standardized protocol refraction, visual acuity testing, ophthalmologic examination, color photographs, fluorescein angiograms and indocyanin angiograms were used to evaluate the results of PDT with verteporfin. Main outcome measures were visual acuity and CNV size. RESULTS: Their mean age was 61.3+/-5.50 years (range, 53-68 years). Follow-up time ranged from 12 to 38 months with mean of 20.5+/-10.91 months. The mean visual acuity at baseline was 20/100 (range 20/25-20/500), and the mean visual acuity at the last examination was 20/320(range 20/125-counting finger). The mean greatest linear dimension (GLD) at baseline was 2400+/-766.81 micrometer, and the mean GLD at the last examination was 3483+/-444.59 micrometer. CONCLUSIONS: PDT for CNV associated with angioid streaks seemed to slow down but not prevent the progression of the disease and associated visual loss.

Indocyanine Green Angiographic Features of Myopic Subfoveal Choroidal Neovascularization as a Prognostic Factor after Photodynamic Therapy

PURPOSE: To determine the influence of clinical features and Indocyanine green (ICG) angiographic features on the visual outcome of patients with myopic sub-foveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) who received photodynamic therapy (PDT). METHODS: Thirty-six consecutive patients (39 eyes) with myopic CNV who were followed up for more than one year after PDT were enrolled in this study. Clinical features included age, gender, refractive error, great linear dimension, and subretinal hemorrhage. ICG features included the lesion size, lacquer cracks, hypofluorescence surrounding the CNV (dark rim), peripapillary atrophy size, and visible prominent choroidal veins under the macula. Linear regression analysis was performed using the change in visual acuity (delta logMAR) as the dependent variable and the above factors as independent variables. RESULTS: At one-year follow-up after PDT, a younger age (p=0.002) and the presence of a dark rim (p=0.002) were significantly correlated with an improvement of visual acuity (decrement in logMAR) after PDT. Other factors had no significant influence on changes in visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Younger patients and patients with a dark rim on ICG angiography had a higher chance of visual improvement after PDT in myopic CNV.

Atrofia retinal posterapia fotodinámica en pacientes miópicos con membrana neovascular coroidea / Retinal atrophy post-photodynamic therapy in myopic patients with choroidal neovascular membrane

Describir una complicación retinal en pacientes con Membrana Neovascular Coroidea (MNVC) miópica tratados con Terapia Fotodinámica (TFD) con Verteporfin. Dentro de una serie retrospectiva de 78 ojos con MNVC miópica, se describen 2 casos clínicos de pacientes que desarrollaron atrofia retinal posterior al tratamiento con TFD con Verteporfin en la zona expuesta. Ambos pacientes tenían alteraciones atróficas extensas en su ojo contralateral que no había sido tratado previamente. Se estudiaron posibles factores de riesgo para esta complicación.

Persistent depot of triamcinolone acetonide after a single intravitreal injection.

The persistence of depot of triamcinolone at four months following a single intravitreal injection is described.

New approaches in the management of choroidal neovascular membrane in age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in the elderly population. The prevalence is reported to be 1.2-1.4% in several population-based epidemiological studies. Currently 25-30 million people worldwide are blind due to AMD. With the aging world population it is bound to increase significantly, and could become a significant public health problem in next two decades, with serious socio-economic implications. Several strategies are today available to treat the wet form of AMD, which is responsible for significant visual loss. These were until recently confined to laser photocoagulation, and subretinal surgery, but today two other modalities, namely, radiation and photodynamic therapy, are available. These treatment modalities however, are aimed at preservation of vision only, and not at reversing the process of the disease. Further research on antiangiogenic drugs and gene therapy could significantly help AMD patients.

Surgical treatment of subretinal neovascular membrane

The visual results of laser photocoagulation for subfoveal choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) has not always been satisfactory. The surgical removal of the neovascular membrane may be another treatment option. To investigate the prognosis and risk factors of this surgery, we analyzed the results of surgical removal of subfoveal CNVM (23 eyes), subfoveal hemorrhage with CNVM (6 eyes), and subfoveal hemorrhage alone (6 eyes). The mean follow-up period was 17.7 months (range 2 to 47 months). The mean preoperative membrane size was 0.89 disc diameter and the mean postoperative retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) defect size was 1.33 disc diameter. Visual improvement was observed in 13 out of the 23 eyes (56.5%) with sufoveal CNVM, four out of the six eyes (66.6%) with subretinal hemorrhage and CNVM, and five out of the six eyes (83.3%) with subretinal hemorrhage only. The visual outcome of subfoveal CNVM surgery was related to the presence of a subfoveal RPE defect (p = 0.005) rather than to the size of the RPE defect. No recurrence of neovascular membrane was observed during the follow up period. In conclusion, surgical removal may be a good alternative treatment for subfoveal CNVM.

Choroidal neovascular membrane.

Choroidal neovascular membrane in the macular area is one of the leading causes of severe visual loss. Usually a manifestation in elderly population, it is often associated with age-related macular degeneration. The current mainstay of management is early diagnosis, usually by fundus examination, aided by angiography and photocoagulation in selected cases. Various other modalities of treatment including surgery are being considered as alternate options, but with limited success. The purpose of this review is to briefly outline the current concepts and the management strategy from a clinician's viewpoint.