Branch retinal artery occlusion by diathermy of a persistent hyaloid artery.
OBJECTIVE
To report branch retinal artery occlusion caused by diathermy of a persistent hyaloid artery.


METHODS
Case report. A 21-year-old woman with unilateral tractional retinal detachment caused by contraction of the persistent primary vitreous underwent vitrectomy with endocoagulation of the primary hyaloid artery.


RESULTS
Postoperatively, the patient had opacification of the neurosensory retina in the area of the inferotemporal branch retinal artery accompanied by a corresponding visual field defect.


CONCLUSIONS
Diathermy of a persistent hyaloid artery may be complicated by the occlusion of a branch retinal artery. In similar cases, atypical branches of retinal arteries must be considered. Dissection of the anomaly from the posterior lens capsule should be performed without coagulation or perhaps endoscopically if visualization is obscured by a Mittendorf dot.
Thumann
G
G
Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, University of Cologne, Germany. ThumannGa@aol.com
Bartz-Schmidt
K U
KU
Kirchhof
B
B
Heimann
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D003972:Diathermy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000098:blood supply*