[Therapy of arterial vascular occlusions of retinal and optic nerve (author's transl)]

The authors report on 136 cases of arterial occlusion (80 patients suffering from occlusion of the retinal vessels and 56 patients with vascular occlusion in the optic nerve) who were treated with the vasoactive xanthic substance Pentoxifylline (Trental). A part from its positive effect on the vascular circulation, Trental also helps to improve microcirculation in the retinal and optic nerve tissue damaged by hypoxia. After a 2-week infusion therapy with additional digitalisation, treatment was continued for another 3-6 months with oral administration of Trental 400. In 50 cases therapy was combined with the systemic administration of corticosteroids. Under the mentioned therapy a definitely improved visual acuity (at least 3 lines on the eye charts) was achieved in 56% of the cases with occlusion of the retinal vessels and in 51% of the cases with vascular occlusion in the optic nerve, i.e., in 54% of the total number of patients. Whether or not the additional administration of corticosteroids helped to this effect was not proved.