Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy – Diagnostic Problems and Therapeutic Difficulties.

Wydanie 2/2021
str. 16 – 20

Autor: Anna I. Borucka

Centrum Mikrochirurgii Oka LASER w Warszawie
Kierownik: prof. dr hab. n. med. Jerzy Szaflik

Summary: 

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy is a condition characterized by multiple, recurrent, serosanguineous pigment epithelial detachments, and neurosensory retinal detachments due to abnormal aneurysmal neovascular lesions. It is generally considered as a variant of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, but there are some differences between the clinical presentation and treatment response between patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy and typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients.

Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy is commonly seen in the Asian and African-American population. Diagnosis of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy should be based on the gold standard indocyanine green angiography which demonstrates early nodular hyperfluorescence signifying the polyp with additional features such as abnormal branching vascular network. Optical coherence tomography is an adjuvant for diagnosing polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, monitoring disease activity, and decision-making regarding the treatment. Current treatment modalities for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy include photodynamic therapy, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents, and thermal laser.