Clinicopathological findings of choroidal neovascularisation following verteporfin photodynamic therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To report the clinicopathologic findings of surgically excised choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) three days after verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT).


METHODS
In three patients (three eyes) with age related macular degeneration, the CNV was surgically removed three days after PDT. The CNV specimens were examined by light microscopy.


RESULTS
The patients had subfoveal classic CNV. Fluorescein angiography revealed non-perfusion of the CNV after PDT and before surgery in all eyes. The light microscopy of the CNV membranes showed swollen and damaged endothelium. Thrombus formation or vascular occlusion in the CNV vessels was not detected.


CONCLUSIONS
PDT did not cause a thrombosis of the vessels within the CNV three days after PDT. Severe endothelial damage of the CNV was observed and is likely a primary effect of PDT. Non-perfusion of the CNV at this stage is possibly secondary to occlusion at a deeper level, namely the underlying feeding choroid.
Gelisken
F
F
Department of Ophthalmology I, University of Tuebingen, Schleichstrasse 12, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. Faik.Geilsken@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Lafaut
B A
BA
Inhoffen
W
W
Voelker
M
M
Grisanti
S
S
Bartz-Schmidt
K U
KU
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077362:Verteporfin
D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin