Abstract
We used tissue plasminogen activator activator (tPA) to aid in the surgical evacuation of subretinal hemorrhages. Subretinal hemorrhage secondary to a ruptured retinal macroaneurysm was treated in two patients. The surgical technique involved using a micropipette to fashion a small retinotomy through which tPA was injected into the subretinal space and through which the dissolved clot was removed. Visual acuity improved from counts fingers to 20/50 in one patient and from counts fingers to 20/70 in the other. Three additional patients, with massive subretinal hemorrhages secondary to age-related macular degeneration, were similarly treated. In one, visual acuity improved from counts fingers to 20/400; in two others, visual acuity was stabilized; in the first patient, at 20/300, and in the second patient at 20/400. The use of tPA minimizes surgical manipulation of the sensory retina and greatly reduces the size of the retinotomy required for evacuation of subretinal blood.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 575-582 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Ophthalmic Surgery |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 10 |
State | Published - 1991 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology