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Intravitreal tissue plasminogen activator to treat macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion.

Murakami T, Takagi H, Kita M, Nishiwaki H, Miyamoto K, Ohashi H, Watanabe D, Yoshimura N

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) injection for branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional case series. METHODS: Seventeen eyes presenting with macular edema caused by BRVO were treated with an intravitreal tPA (Monteplase, 40 k IU) injection. We assessed the visual acuity (VA) and foveal thickness measured with optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: The mean duration of symptoms before surgery was 3.6 +/- 3.8 weeks. The mean logMAR VA significantly improved from 0.603 +/- 0.327 at baseline to 0.388 +/- 0.248 (P < .01) at one month and 0.359 +/- 0.319 (P < .05) at six months. The mean foveal thickness significantly decreased from 738 +/- 156 microm at baseline to 454 +/- 213 microm (P < .001) at one month and 253 +/- 164 microm (P < .001) six months. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal tPA injection may be an effective treatment for resolving macular edema and improving the VA in BRVO.

Published 31 July 2006 in Am J Ophthalmol, 142(2): 318-20.
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