Intra-arterial Thrombolysis for Central Retinal Artery Occlusion: Two Cases Report.

Author: Gyojun HWANG ¹ ; Se Joon WOO ; Cheolkyu JUNG ; Kyu Hyung PARK ; Jeong Min HWANG ; O Ki KWON
Author Information

1. Department of Neurosurgery, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
Publication Type:Case Reports ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Keywords: Central Retinal Artery Occlusion; Thrombolysis
From:Journal of Korean Medical Science 2010;25(6):974-979
CountryRepublic of Korea
Language:English
Abstract: Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) causes severe visual loss in affected eye and vision does not recover in more than 90% of the patients. It is believed that it occurs by occlusion of the central retinal artery with small emboli from atherosclerotic plaque of internal cerebral artery. Retina is a part of the brain, thus basically CRAO is corresponding to acute occlusion of intracerebral artery and retinal ischemia is to cerebral stroke. Therefore, intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) has been considered as a treatment method in CRAO. Recently, we treated 2 patients diagnosed as CRAO and could achieve complete recanalization on fundus fluorescein angiogram with IAT. Of them, one recovered visual acuity to 20/25. We report our 2 CRAO cases treated with IAT and discuss technical aspects for IAT and management of patient. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Korean report of IAT for CRAO.