Occlusion Of The Central Retinal Artery And Retinal Branch Arterioles [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION Occlusion of the central retinal artery results in sudden loss of vision and the prognosis for restoration of vision is generally poor. The central artery is an end artery and there are consequently anastomoses with other vessels only at the capillary level. Exceptions are the papillary region and the nasal periphery of the retina in the vicinity of the pars plana, which may be in intercommunication with the ciliary circulation. Patients with occlusion are often in the elderly class in which manifestations of arteriosclerosis are not uncommon. Arteriosclerosis is employed in the following as a general term as Harry and Ashton did in 1963. Atherosclerosis, again, refers to a nodular disease of the intima of arteries of elastic type. Atherosclerosis is the commonest pathologic finding in retinal arteries (Hogan and Zimmerman 1962). Atheroma has two sites of predilection in the central artery of the retina: the region of the cribriform plate, and the point where the artery penetrates the dura. Arterial hypertension furthers the development of arteriosclerosis (Pickering 1955). Atheroma may be encountered also in the small arterial branch beyond the second bifurcation of the central artery (Friedenwald 1952). Arteriosclerosis obliterans, caused by the fibrotic thickening of the intima, is a disease of the major arteries which is encountered also in the carotid artery. The carotid artery is important point of departure of embolic material for the ocular circulation. The interest of the present chief of the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Helsinki has been centred for two decades now on disturbances of the ocular circulation and the pressure problems associated with them. In consequence copious material is available on the early phase. This study is a continuation of the investigations on vascular diseases conducted at this Eye Hospital (Vannas 1970). This retrospective work does not deal with therapy and its effect on the results. 9