A fluorescein angiographic study of branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) - the retrograde filling of occluded vessels.
BACKGROUND
For assessing the prognosis of a branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO), examination of the arterial blood flow by fluorescein angiography is necessary.


METHODS
In seven patients (mean age: 68.1, youngest 61, oldest 76 years old), with BRAO of varying involvement and extent, the disturbed retinal blood flow was demonstrated by this method. All the patients were subjected to Doppler sonography of the carotid arteries and all had a general medical examination.


RESULTS
The most impressive sign was the retrograde filling of the retinal arterial and/or venous branches from the adjacent retinal vessels and capillaries. In four patients the visual acuity was better after the disappearance of the retinal edema. In one patient the visual field defect slightly decreased at follow-up. This means that not every patient with retrograde filling of dye in BRAO has a bad prognosis in terms of visual function. The extent and duration of the retrograde filling with dye and the arterial or venous passage varied from patient to patient. There was also delayed filling with an increased period of retention in an artery (which is an adverse sign in BRAO), and retrograde filling of the corresponding vein. This latter came from small adjacent veins, but the retrograde filling of an artery came from capillaries or from very small adjacent arterioles. All the patients showed signs of general systemic disease, such as occlusion or the presence of plaques in the carotid artery, absolute arrhythmia, arterial hypertension, patent foramen ovale, diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemia, Factor V mutation, homocysteinemia or coronary heart disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Retrograde filling of the retinal arterial and/or venous branches means a kind of spontaneous healing compared to a condition with complete permanent obstruction of circulation. It is recommended that fluorescein angiography should be carried out for all patients with BRAO, in order to estimate the prognosis of the vascular occlusion. This is the first published record of consecutive pictures showing the retrograde filling of retinal arteries and/or veins with BRAO. In every patient with a BRAO an extensive medical and neurological examination (including echocardiography and Doppler sonography of the carotid arteries) is essential before planning the treatment.
Schmidt
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Universitäts-Augenklinik, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany. EurJMedRes@t-online.de
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields