Title : To evaluate the safety and efficacy of half fluence photodynamic therapy for symptomatic peripapillary circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas (CCHS)
Abstract:
11 patients with Peripapillary Circumscribed Choroidal Hemangiomas (CCHs) were treated with half fluence Photodynamic Therapy with fluence of 25mJ/cm2 (standard-50mJ/cm2). Patients were evaluated at 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks post PDT with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ultrasonography, SD-OCT & visual evoked potential. The BCVA significantly improved to 0.441+0.125 at 24 weeks (P=0.007 ) from baseline levels of 1.017+ 0.075um. Central macular thickness also showed improvement to 174.60+23.13um (P=0.001) at 24 weeks. A single session of retreatment was required in 2 patients (18%) which also showed complete resolution. No procedure related complications were observed. It can be therefore concluded that Half fluence PDT can be an effective and safe treatment option for peripapillary CCHs which results in both anatomical and functional improvements with no observable complications.
Audience take away:
- The present study is a first attempt at evaluating efficacy and safety of half fluence PDT for symptomatic CCHs. It showed that half-fluence PDT can have a significant effect on improvement of a patient’s visual acuity, in resolving SRF and reducing central retinal thickness
- There is significant potential for choroidal atrophy and other adverse events following ‘standard’, ‘bolus’ and ‘high fluence’ PDT as observed by multiple researchers. However; None of these complications were seen in present study.
- Our study provides considerable information that half fluence PDT can be used to successfully treat symptomatic circumscribed choroidal haemangiomas (CCHs) without any observable complications. However, we recognise that a large, prospective, comparative study would provide more significant evidence as to whether present protocol is safe and effective treatment modality.
