[Combined intravitreal triamcinolone and photodynamic therapy for retinal angiomatous proliferation after photodynamic therapy].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the 1-year results of treatment for retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP), especially focused on the combination therapy of intravitreal injection of tiamcinolone acetonide with photodynamic therapy (IVTA-PDT).


METHODS
Between July 2004 and July 2005, IVTA-PDT was performed in 7 patients (9 eyes) with RAP at the Ohtsuka Eye Hospital. We reviewed the records of 4 of these patients (5 eyes) who had received IVTA-PDT during follow-up.


RESULTS
PDT was effective in only 1 of the 9 eyes. During IVTA-PDT, leakage from neovascularization was observed on angiography, and retinal edema and retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED) were observed on optical coherence tomography (OCT), even though PDT had been performed several times in all 5 eyes receiving IVTA-PDT. Complete resolution of angiographic leakage and improvement of retinal edema and RPED were observed at the examination 3 months after IVTA-PDT. At 1 year after IVTA-PDT, the fundus findings remained stable in 4 eyes, but angiographic leakage and RPED had progressed slightly in one eye. Visual acuity 1 year after IVTA had decreased compared with that at the primary PDT, but was almost the same as that at the beginning of IVTA-PDT.


CONCLUSIONS
IVTA-PDT for eyes with RAP, in which PDT had been performed several times, may be effective for improvement or elimination of retinal edema, achieving rapid regression of neovascularization, and stabilizing visual acuity.
Hikichi
Taiichi
T
Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. taiichi-hikichi@hokkaido.med.or.jp
Ohtsuka
Hideo
H
Higuchi
Makoto
M
Matsushita
Takuro
T
Ariga
Hiroko
H
Kosaka
Shoko
S
Matsushita
Reiko
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014221:Triamcinolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014822:Vitreous Body
D014221:Triamcinolone