Masters TC, Westgard BC, Hendriksen SM, Decanini A, Abel AS, Logue CJ, Walter JW, Linduska J, Engel KC, et al.
Retinal cases & brief reports. Date of publication 2021 Nov 1;volume 15(6):783-788.
1. Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2021 Nov 1;15(6):783-788. doi:
10.1097/ICB.0000000000000895.
CASE SERIES OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FOR CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION.
Masters TC(1), Westgard BC(1), Hendriksen SM(1), Decanini A(2), Abel AS(2),
Logue CJ(1), Walter JW(1), Linduska J(2), Engel KC(2).
Author information:
(1)Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Hyperbaric Medicine.
(2)Department of Ophthalmology, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis,
Minnesota.
PURPOSE: To retrospectively report the outcomes of patients presenting to our
facility with central retinal artery occlusion and receiving therapy with
hyperbaric oxygen (HBO).
METHODS: This was a retrospective, chart review at a single hospital center.
Patients with diagnosed central retinal artery occlusion were treated with HBO
twice daily for 5 days during their inpatient stay for a total of 10 HBO
treatments. Main outcome was change from the documented presenting
best-corrected visual acuity to discharge best-corrected visual acuity.
Thirty-nine patients with central retinal artery occlusion were included in the
analysis during a 30-month period.
RESULTS: Twenty-eight of 39 patients (72%) had some improvement in acuity. There
was a mean of 5.05 lines of improvement using a modified Snellen chart after
completing their HBO treatment course. Patients treated within 12 hours of
symptom onset showed the greatest improvement in their visual acuity (6.11 mean
lines of improvement). Complications of therapy included middle ear barotrauma
(10/39) and confinement anxiety (1/39) and did not interfere with the therapy
regimen or hospital course.
CONCLUSION: This retrospective case series supports the use of emergent HBO
therapy as a viable treatment option for patients with central retinal artery
occlusion. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was safely administered and well tolerated.
DOI: 10.1097/ICB.0000000000000895
PMID: 31306292 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
