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Plasticity of polypoidal lesions in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical course in a patient with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Methods

A 68-year-old man with PCV in the left eye was followed up by means of routine examinations including fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography for over 60 months.

Results

Throughout the follow-up period, the patient experienced repeated lesions in the macula, such as serosanguineous detachment of the retinal pigment epithelium and neurosensory retina, but retained good visual acuity. Indocyanine green angiography disclosed spontaneous regression of polypoidal vessels followed by significant changes in the choroidal circulation: a group of polypoidal structures disappeared, and after several months a small choroidal vessel became apparent that was distant from the previously observed polypoidal structure rather than representing an extension of the original lesion.

Conclusion

The clinical observation suggests that in some cases of PCV the choroidal vasculature may be altered with time, in that some vessels in the inner choroid and even the choriocapillaris may close and collateral vessels and/or new vessels may develop to form complex such as that described here.

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Fig. 1 A
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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by research grant 15591866 from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture. The authors wish to thank Professor Alan C Bird, Moorfields Eye Hospital and Institute of Ophthalmology, for reading the manuscript and making a number of helpful suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Sakuragaoka 8-35-1, 890-8520, Kagoshima , Japan

    Akiko Okubo, Munefumi Sameshima & Taiji Sakamoto

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  1. Akiko Okubo
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  2. Munefumi Sameshima
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  3. Taiji Sakamoto
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Correspondence to Akiko Okubo.

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Okubo, A., Sameshima, M. & Sakamoto, T. Plasticity of polypoidal lesions in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 242, 962–965 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-004-0920-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-004-0920-0

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