Abstract
Purpose: :
to assess the safety and efficacy of combined Verteporfin Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) and Intravitreal Ranibizumab (Lucentis) Injection in the treatment of extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization in angioid streaks over a short term.
Methods: :
Prospective interventional non-comparative pilot case study. Four eyes of 4 consecutive patients affected by extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization due to angioid streaks were involved. At baseline, each patient underwent Photodynamic Therapy with Verteporfin followed by the first intravitreal injection of 0,5 mg (0,05 ml) of Ranibizumab. The second injection was delivered 30 days later. Additional injections were carried out monthly, if needed. All patients underwent complete ophthalmological examination, fluorescein angiography (FA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), and optical coherence tomography (OCT3) at baseline and at each control visit. Follow-up visits were set at one week, four weeks and thereafter monthly.
Results: :
3 patients were female, one male; mean age was 50, range 43-58. Mean follow-up was 8 months, range 6 - 10. Mean baseline visual acuity was 20/28, range 20/50 - 20/32. At month 6, mean visual acuity was 20/30, range 20/20 - 20/50. Visual acuity improved by one line in one patient, remained unchanged in two and decreased by two lines in one. Three patients received two injections and one patient received a third at month 5. All patients showed stabilization of the lesion during both angiographic and OCT examinations without foveal invasion.
Conclusions: :
In this pilot series of eyes with extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization in angioid streaks, combined PDT and intravitreal Ranibizumab therapy appears to be safe. Further follow-up is necessary to confirm long-term treatment benefits.
Keywords: macula/fovea • photodynamic therapy • choroid: neovascularization