A new technique of combined retinal and choroidal biopsy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a new technique in large retinal and choroidal biopsies in patients with uveitis of unknown aetiology and chorioretinal lesions or infiltrate.


METHODS
Retrospective, non-comparative, consecutive interventional case series. Patients were identified from the computerised patient database and from histopathology records.


RESULTS
A total of nine patients were included in the study. The commonest indication of biopsy was panuveitis of unknown aetiology. Positive histological diagnoses from the chorioretinal biopsies were made in five cases (55.6%). Complications included vitreous haemorrhages and one case of retinal detachment.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique of large chorioretinal biopsy described appears to be safe. It produced good amounts of chorioretinal tissue for histopathological analysis. Positive histology results were seen in the majority of the sample and especially in those where vitreous biopsy alone proved to be inadequate.
Cole
C J
CJ
Vitreoretinal Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK.
Kwan
A S
AS
Laidlaw
D A H
DA
Aylward
G W
GW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology*; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014605:Uveitis / Q000473:pathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000379:methods; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology