Variable outcome of photodynamic therapy for choroidal neovascularization associated with choroidal nevus.
OBJECTIVE
To report five cases of classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with choroidal nevus treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin.


METHODS
The patients underwent an ophthalmologic evaluation, including fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography. Clinical and angiographic data were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate visual acuity outcomes and both clinical evolution and angiographic evolution.


RESULTS
Two patients presented with subfoveal CNV, and three had juxtafoveal CNV. The mean follow-up was 25.8 months. Visual outcomes were extremely variable. Indeed, best-corrected visual acuity decreased in three eyes, stabilized in one case, and improved in the other case. The number of PDT sessions necessary to obtain CNV stabilization with cessation of fluorescein leakage varied from one to six.


CONCLUSIONS
Bearing in mind that both the natural history and the post-PDT outcome may be extremely variable, further studies are needed to assess the real benefit of PDT for classic CNV secondary to choroidal nevus.
Parodi
M Battaglia
MB
Eye Clinic, Ospedale Maggiore, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Trieste, Trieste, Italy. maubp@yahoo.it
Boscia
F
F
Piermarocchi
S
S
Ferrari
T Micelli
TM
Furino
C
C
Sborgia
C
C
D000368:Aged; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity
D004396:Coloring Agents; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin; D007208:Indocyanine Green