Objective To evaluate the correlation between retinal-choroidal anastomosis (RCA) and pigment epithelium detachment (PED) secondary to exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods From October 2000 to December 2003,75 eyes of 70 patients with active exudative AMD underwent OCT, fluorecein and/or indocyanine green angiography (FA/ICGA) examinations were analyzed to ascertain whether there was RCA. The correlations between RCA and PED were evaluated. Results Of 75 eyes with exudative AMD, 34 eyes (45.3%) had RCA, 41 eyes (54.7%) had no RCA. Among the eyes with RCA, 30 eyes (88.2%) had PED, the remaining 4 eyes (11.8%) had no PED. Among the eyes without RCA, 33 eyes (80.5%) had PED, and 8 eyes (19.5%) had no PED. There was no significant difference in the incidence of PED between eyes with or without RCA (χ2=0.83, P=0.5290). PED tear was found in 17 eyes (51.5%)out of 33 eyes with PED and without RCA, but in 26 eyes (86.7% ) out of 30 eyes with both PED and RCA. There was a significant difference in the incidence of PED tear between eyes with or without RCA (χ2=8.9612, P=0.0030). Conclusions RCA is not uncommon in exudative AMD. It often coexisted with PED, but there is no direct correlation between them. PED tear is highly correlated with RCA formation. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2004,20:295-298)
Citation: JIANG Li,MA Zhizhong. The correlation between retinal-choroidal anastomosis and pigment epithelium detachment secondary to exudative age-related macular degeneration. Chinese Journal of Ocular Fundus Diseases, 2004, 20(5): 295-298. doi: Copy