Early choroidal structure and choroidal vascularity index change after carotid stenting.

PURPOSES: We aimed to evaluate changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) in the first postoperative day and month in patients with severe internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis after ICA stenting.

METHOD: The patients who diagnosed with severe ICA stenosis and was performed ICA stenting were included in the study. Patients with any ocular disease and refractive error more than 3 diopters were not included in the study. The imaging of the choroid was performed using enhanced depth imaging (EDI) techniques by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) (OptovueRTVue XR, Optovue Inc., Fremont, CA).The choroidal vascularity index (CVI), total choroidal area (TA), luminal area (LA), and stromal area (SA) were measured in the subfoveal 2 mm area. These measurements before ICA stenting was compared with the first day and first month after ICA stenting.

RESULTS

The study included 41 eyes from 41 patients (11 women [26.83%]; 30 men [73.17%]). The mean age of patients was 62.25 ± 4.85 (57-71) years. The differences in subfoveal CT, TA, LA, SA between before ICA stenting and 1 day after ICA stenting, before ICA stenting and 1 month after ICA stenting was statically significant(p<0.05 for each).

CONCLUSION

We have observed ıncreases in SFCT, CVI, LA, SA, and TA on the 1st day and 1st month after ICA stenting in patients with severe carotid stenosis.  İmprovement in choroidal thickness and choroidal vascular flow is seen even in the early period of ICA stenting.