Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2006 Oct;90(10):1252-5.
doi: 10.1136/bjo.2006.097642. Epub 2006 Jul 19.

Surgical embolus removal in retinal artery occlusion

J García-Arumí  1 , V Martinez-Castillo, A Boixadera, A Fonollosa, B Corcostegui
Affiliations

Surgical embolus removal in retinal artery occlusion

J García-Arumí et al. Br J Ophthalmol. 2006 Oct.

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the anatomical outcomes, safety and functional effectiveness of surgical embolus removal in retinal artery occlusion (RAO).

Methods: Prospective study of seven patients with RAO of <36 h duration. All eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy and a longitudinal incision of the anterior wall of the occluded arteriole in an attempt to remove the embolus. Outcome measures included visual acuity and arteriolar reperfusion, as evaluated with fluorescein angiography.

Results: Surgical removal of the embolus was achieved in six of the seven (87.5%) patients, visual acuity improved from a median of 20/400 (range: hand movements 20/25) to 20/40 (range: hand movements 20/25), and reperfusion of the occluded vessel was angiographically confirmed in four of the six patients in whom the embolus was successfully removed.

Conclusion: Surgical removal of retinal arterial emboli seems to be an effective and safe treatment for RAO, but a randomised and controlled clinical trial will be necessary to establish an evidence base for the role, if any, of this intervention.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Comment in

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Savino P J, Glaser J S, Cassady J. Retinal stroke: is the patient at risk? Arch Ophthalmol 1977951185–1189. - PubMed
    1. Brown G C, Magargal L E. Central artery obstruction and visual acuity. Ophthalmology 19828914–19. - PubMed
    1. Arruga J, Sanders M D. Ophthalmologic findings in 70 patients with evidence of retinal embolism. Ophthalmology 1982891336–1347. - PubMed
    1. Ellis P P. Occlusion of the central retinal artery after retrobulbar corticosteroid injection. Am J Ophthalmol 197885352–356. - PubMed
    1. Cogan D G, Wray S H. Vascular occlusions in the eye from cardiac myxomas. Am J Ophthalmol 197580396–403. - PubMed

Publication types