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Gazi Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Göz Hastalıkları Bölümü, Ankara Purpose: To discuss earty results of adventitial sheathotomy for the treatment of branch retinal vein occlusions(BRVO).
Materials and Methods: Surgical decompression of BRVO via arteriovenous(A/V) crossing sheathotomy in 5 eyes of 5 patients with decreased visual acuity due to macular hemorrhage, edema, and ischemia was performed. Reperfusion of the retina was achieved by surgically separating the overlying retinal arteriole from the venule via vitrectomy and adventitial sheathotomy techniques in 4 eyes. In 1 eye reperfusion was not seen peroperatively. Patients were followed postoperatively for a mean of 4.5 months (range 1-10 months).
Results: In four of five eyes, the best-corrected visual acuity improved to a range of 0.1 to 0.6. In the remaining eye, visual acuity remained at finger counting secondary to macular ischemia.
Conclusion: Surgical decompression of BRVO via A/V crossing sheathotomy may be helpful in early reperfusion of the retina and resolution of macular hemorrhage, edema, and ischemia thus improve visual prognosis in patients with poor vision secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion. Keywords : branch retinal vein occlusion, adventitial sheathotomy