Published online Sep 16, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i26.9510
Peer-review started: May 9, 2022
First decision: June 16, 2022
Revised: June 25, 2022
Accepted: August 16, 2022
Article in press: August 16, 2022
Published online: September 16, 2022
Diffuse retinal pigment epitheliopathy (DRPE) associated with bullous retinal detachment is a severe variant of DRPE that is frequently misdiagnosed and often improperly treated.
A 36-year-old female patient complained of "painless vision decline in the left eye with obscuration for 10 d". Slit-lamp microscopic fundus examination revealed white-yellow subretinal exudates in the posterior pole in both eyes, retinal detachment with shifting subretinal fluid in the left eye, and no retinal hiatus. Fundus fluorescein angiography revealed multiple subretinal leakage foci and localized hypofluorescent lesions with patched hyperfluorescence. There was fluorescence leakage in the retinal vessels in the retinal detachment area and occluded blood vessels in the lower and peripheral areas. Indocyanine green angiography revealed multifocal lamellar hyperfluorescence in the middle stage and low fluorescence in the retinal detachment area in the late stage. Retinal anatomical reduction significantly improved with intravitreal conbercept injections.
Intravitreal injection of conbercept can anatomically reattach the retina in patients with bullous retinal detachment.
Core Tip: The study patient exhibited a considerable improvement in retinal anatomical reduction after intravitreal injections of conbercept. Nevertheless, due to the the macular area destruction, we observed unsatisfactory improvement in best-corrected visual acuity. Based on the study findings, intravitreal injection of a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor may be a considered potent therapeutic option for cases of bullous retinal detachment of diffuse retinal pigment epitheliopathy. This treatment is uncomplicated and harmless and precludes adopting complex surgical techniques associated with high risk of complications.