[The place of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration].
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a multifactorial disease, with unknown etiology, which represents one of the main causes of legal blindness. At this moment, the only treatment for ARMD is symptomatic and concerns the distinction of the choroidal neovascularisation (CNV). There are many therapeutical procedures, and their classification is difficult. The dynamic phototherapy (PDT) with intravenous injection of verteporfirin (Visudyne), a recent therapeutic concept based on a photochemical reaction, represents the only standard procedure for destroying the macular CNVs. The paper presents new therapeutical procedures, discussing them in relation with PDT. Beside the PDT and its supporting methods, other competing techniques (transpupillary thermotherapy, surgical removal, anti-angiogenesis and antioxidants) are presented.
Munteanu
Gh
G
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077362:Verteporfin
D000975:Antioxidants; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin