Vascular abnormalities in aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity detected by fluorescein angiography.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate fluorescein angiography (FA) in eyes with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (AP-ROP).


METHODS
Retrospective, nonrandomized case series.


METHODS
Three patients (6 eyes) with AP-ROP.


METHODS
Three patients (6 eyes) diagnosed with AP-ROP during ROP screening between July 2007 and July 2008 were included in this study. Fundus photographs and FA were obtained before and after laser and surgical treatment using a wide-field digital pediatric imaging system.


METHODS
Fluorescein angiography and fundus photographs.


RESULTS
At the initial stage of AP-ROP, FA showed vascular abnormalities, including capillary nonperfusion throughout the vascularized retina, shunting in the vascularized retina, a circumferential demarcation line, and limited vessel development, which was difficult to identify only by ophthalmoscopy. After treatment, FA showed poorly developed retinal vessels, including 4 small major vessels without an arcade pattern, small macular vessels, an inhomogeneous capillary bed, and absence of a capillary-free zone in the fovea.


CONCLUSIONS
Capillary bed loss throughout the vascularized posterior retina is characteristic of AP-ROP and may exacerbate retinopathy.
Yokoi
Tadashi
T
Department of Ophthalmology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.
Hiraoka
Miina
M
Miyamoto
Mariko
M
Yokoi
Tae
T
Kobayashi
Yuri
Y
Nishina
Sachiko
S
Azuma
Noriyuki
N
D002199:Capillary Permeability; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D007052:Ibuprofen