title: Photodynamic therapy increases the eligibility for feeder vessel treatment of choroidal neovascularization caused by age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report angiographic observations about feeder vessel identification after photodynamic therapy in patients with choroidal neovascularization caused by age-related macular degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed fluorescein and indocyanine green dynamic angiography in 156 eyes of 145 patients before and after photodynamic therapy to identify the feeder vessels of the choroidal neovascular membrane.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before photodynamic therapy one or more feeder vessel could be detected in 35 (22.4%) out of 156 eyes with choroidal neovascularization. Three months after photodynamic therapy, a feeder vessel could be identified in 112 (84.2%) out of 133 eyes with persistent choroidal neovascularization. Among these, 16 eyes received direct laser photocoagulation of the feeder vessel and did not need any further photodynamic therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous photodynamic therapy improves the detection of the feeder vessel of the choroidal neovascularization. A sequential combined therapy (photodynamic and feeder vessel treatment) could be considered as an alternative to multiple photodynamic treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. stefano.piermarocchi@unipd.it
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piermarocchi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lo Giudice
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sartore
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Friede
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Segato
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pilotto
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Midena
mesh_terms: D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077362:Verteporfin
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin; D007208:Indocyanine Green