Indocyanine green angiography in traumatic choroidal rupture: clinicoangiographic case reports

Blunt trauma to the eye can cause choroidal ruptures. Often localization is obscured by hemorrhages, edema, and pigmentary changes. The use of indocyanine green (ICG) angiography to supplement fluorescein angiography in visualizing retinal and choroidal tissues was investigated. Three patients with acute traumatic choroidal ruptures received a retinal examination, including fluorescein and ICG angiography study. Choroidal ruptures were well localized in ICG angiograms in both early and late phases. In fluorescein angiograms, the defects were underestimated in early phases and overestimated in the later phases. In one patient with severe traumatic changes, ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein angiography identified all superficial splits, whereas ICG angiography readily detected deeper changes as well. ICG angiography is helpful in diagnosis major and minor ruptures of the choriocapillaris and the choroid, in defining the extent of traumatic ruptures, and in furthering the understanding of the pathology of traumatic ruptures, and in furthering the understanding of the pathology of traumatic tears.