RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Clinicopathological findings of choroidal neovascularisation following verteporfin photodynamic therapy
JF British Journal of Ophthalmology
JO Br J Ophthalmol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 207
OP 211
DO 10.1136/bjo.2003.018754
VO 88
IS 2
A1 F Gelisken
A1 B A Lafaut
A1 W Inhoffen
A1 M Voelker
A1 S Grisanti
A1 K U Bartz-Schmidt
YR 2004
UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/88/2/207.abstract
AB Aims: To report the clinicopathologic findings of surgically excised choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) three days after verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT). Methods: In three patients (three eyes) with age related macular degeneration, the CNV was surgically removed three days after PDT. The CNV specimens were examined by light microscopy. Results: The patients had subfoveal classic CNV. Fluorescein angiography revealed non-perfusion of the CNV after PDT and before surgery in all eyes. The light microscopy of the CNV membranes showed swollen and damaged endothelium. Thrombus formation or vascular occlusion in the CNV vessels was not detected. Conclusion: PDT did not cause a thrombosis of the vessels within the CNV three days after PDT. Severe endothelial damage of the CNV was observed and is likely a primary effect of PDT. Non-perfusion of the CNV at this stage is possibly secondary to occlusion at a deeper level, namely the underlying feeding choroid.