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Retinal and optic disc vasculitis in Susac's syndrome
J L Sánchez-Vicente1, F E Molina-Sócola1, A Medina-Tapia1
1Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
Archivos De La Sociedad Espanola De Oftalmologia
|December 28, 2017
Summary
Susac's syndrome, a rare condition, can cause severe neurological and visual symptoms. Angiopathy in this syndrome may affect optic disc vessels, not just retinal arteries.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
- Vascular Medicine
Background:
- Susac's syndrome is a rare autoimmune condition characterized by encephalopathy, retinal artery occlusions, and sensorineural hearing loss.
- Early diagnosis and management are crucial to prevent irreversible neurological damage and vision loss.
Observation:
- A 42-year-old woman presented with severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, hearing loss, and altered mental status.
- Ophthalmic examination revealed optic disc hyperemia and focal arteriolar occlusions in both eyes.
- Audiometry showed bilateral neurosensory hypoacusis, and MRI demonstrated multiple white matter lesions.
Findings:
- The patient's presentation and diagnostic findings are consistent with Susac's syndrome.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging revealed characteristic lesions in the corpus callosum, splenium, basal ganglia, and white matter.
- Ophthalmic findings included optic disc hyperemia and retinal arteriolar occlusions, indicating vascular involvement.
Implications:
- This case highlights that Susac's syndrome-related angiopathy can extend to optic disc vessels, in addition to branch retinal arteriolar occlusions.
- Recognizing optic disc involvement is critical for accurate diagnosis and comprehensive management of Susac's syndrome.
- Further research into the vascular manifestations of Susac's syndrome may improve patient outcomes.