Premium
Photodynamic therapy for symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma
Author(s) -
MAYER CF,
WACKERNAGEL W,
LACKNER EM,
SCHNEIDER MR,
HAAS A,
WEGER M,
LANGMANN G
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2009.2418.x
Subject(s) - medicine , visual acuity , vitrectomy , photodynamic therapy , verteporfin , hemangioma , ophthalmology , surgery , choroidal neovascularization , chemistry , organic chemistry
Purpose Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a well established treatment option for symptomatic choroidal hemangioma. We present seven patients treated with PDT at our department. Methods Seven patients (2 female, 5 male) with a mean age of 46 Years (range 44 ‐ 69 years) have been treated between October 2005 ‐ March 2007. Best corrected visual acuity at first visit was minimum 0.25 and maximum 0.8 (Snellen). Indirect ophthalmoscopy showed a choroidal hemangioma with subretinal fluid. Ancillary examinations included angiography, OCT and A‐ and B‐scan ultrasonography. Largest basal diameter was 8 mm (median; range 5.5 ‐ 10.2 mm) and tumor height 3 mm (median; range 2.2 ‐ 4 mm). One or more PDTs had to be done. Median follow up was 19 months (range 3 to 39 months). Results In 3 patients one PDT was sufficient to obtain good and stable visual acuity. Three patients needed a second PDT twelve months after the initial treatment. In one patient six PDTs were necessary over a period of 20 months and additional vitrectomy had to be done. Five patients showed a gain in visual acuity (median 4 lines; range 1 to 6 lines). One patient showed unchanged visual acuity and one patient showed a loss of 3 lines after six PDTs and vitrectomy. Conclusion In six out of seven patients stable visual acuity could be obtained. In one patient multiple PDTs and vitrectomy were necessay to achieve stable clinical results. Our findings confirm that PDT is an effective treatment modality for choroidal hemangioma.