Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a rare disease with poor visual prognosis. We evaluated clinical effectiveness of in situ fibrinolysis with original angiographic scores describing the aspect of carotid siphon, proximal ophthalmic artery, and choroid blush.

Retrospective study of 16 consecutive cases of CRAO between 2007 and 2013. Fourteen underwent in situ fibrinolysis, two were excluded due to pre-occlusive internal carotid stenosis on pre-procedural diagnostic angio-CT. Fibrinolysis was performed with rt-PA (average injected dose: 35mg), with an average onset delay of 8hours (4–17h). We reported angiographic scores pre- and post-fibrinolysis, visual acuity (VA) before and after treatment, and VA improvement evaluated by ophthalmologist 6 to 12 months after thrombolysis.

Six patients (43%) recovered post-fibrinolysis VA significally improved, superior or equal to 1/10 (1/10 to 8/10). An irregular carotid siphon (2 cases) appeared as a predictive factor of failure. Fibrinolysis procedure led to a significant improvement of angiographic permeability of proximal ophthalmic artery (P=0.0498), but this result was not accompanied by any VA improvement. The aspect of choroid blush showed no correlation with the management of thrombolysis.

In situ fibrinolysis was more effective than medical treatments or natural evolution of CRAO (VA improvement was respectively 40% and 20%). However, the benefit/risk ratio must be discussed, and an angio-CT of supra-aortic trunks could be systematically performed before thrombolysis, to assess the potential VA recovery compared with complications such as ischemic stroke.