Regression of takayasu retinopathy after revascularization of occluded branches of the aortic arch by percutaneous angioplasty.

Objective: To present a patient with decreased vision because of Takayasu retinopathy who had improvement in vision and regression of retinopathy after percutaneous angioplasty of occluded aortic arch vessels.

Methods: Interventional case report.

Results: A 37-year-old woman with multiple cerebral infarcts and recurrent seizures was referred with painless progressive reduction in vision in the right eye of few months' duration and left eye for 2 years. Vision was 20/120 in the right eye and perception of light in the left eye. There was mild disk pallor in the right eye, optic atrophy in the left eye, and microaneursyms in both eyes. Angiographic findings were consistent with type I Takayasu arteritis. Angioplasty and stenting was performed initially to the right subclavian and common carotid arteries and to the left subclavian, and left internal carotid arteries 6 weeks later. There was improvement in vision to 20/80 and regression of Takayasu retinopathy in the right eye at 3 months post procedure that improved further to 20/50, 6 months post procedure. Vision, as expected, remained poor in the left eye despite revascularization.

Conclusions: Restoration of flow in the aortic arch vessels may result in reversal of ischemic retinal changes in patients with Takayasu retinopathy.