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Clinicopathological study of the polypoidal lesions of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

  • Pathology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the pathogenic features of the polypoidal lesions from the specimens of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy extracted from human subjects.

Methods

Seven specimens of polypoidal lesions extracted from five eyes of six patients (mean age, 60.16 ± 10.41 years) of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy were examined. The polypoidal lesions were obtained by surgical excision. Thereafter, a histopathological analysis of the specimens was performed.

Results

The polypoidal lesions were oval nodules located underneath the retinal pigment epithelium. A pathological study of the lesions revealed that Bruch’s membrane schisis was observed in all specimens and they were all located in the Bruch’s membrane. The Bruch’s membrane schisis and serosanguineous materials constituted the main structure of the lesions in five of the seven specimens, with small vessels being observed in two specimens. One specimen was composed of two polypoidal lesions of different characteristics, and one specimen had a neovessel membrane complex with several polypoidal lesions. Inflammatory cells and blood vessels were observed in the polypoidal lesion of the specimen with neovessel membrane complex.

Conclusion

Polypoidal lesions of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy are abnormalities of the Bruch’s membrane. The lesions are characterized by the Bruch’s membrane schisis, which is filled with serosanguineous materials. The lesions are progressive and may contain inflammatory cells and blood vessels.

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Availability of data and material

The data and material used or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Shikun He from the University of Southern California Eye Institute for reviewing the article.

Funding

This study was supported by grants from the National Nature Science Foundation of China (81400409).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Life Science Park of Zhong Guancun, Peking University International Hospital, Chang Ping District, Life Park Road No. 1 , Beijing, 102206, China

    Guangfeng Liu, Lie Ma & Zhizhong Ma

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Eye Centre, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China

    Liang Han, Yao Lu, Changguan Wang, Pei Zhang, Cong Liu, Xinrong Lu & Zhizhong Ma

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Haidian District, No. 49, North Huayuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China

    Zhizhong Ma

Authors
  1. Guangfeng Liu
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  5. Lie Ma
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Contributions

Guangfeng Liu and Liang Han contributed to the conception and the acquisition of data, and drafted the manuscript. Zhizhong Ma contributed to the conception, surgery, and revising of the manuscript critically. Yao Lu, Changguan Wang, and Lie Ma contributed to the acquisition of specimens. Pei Zhang, Cong Liu, and Xinrong Lu contributed to the pathologic study. All authors contributed to the critical revision of the paper and approved the final manuscript for publication. Guangfeng Liu and Liang Han contributed equally to this manuscript, and have to be considered joint first authors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhizhong Ma.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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An informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Written informed consent for publication was obtained from all participants.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Cite this article

Liu, G., Han, L., Lu, Y. et al. Clinicopathological study of the polypoidal lesions of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 260, 2369–2377 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-021-05525-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-021-05525-1

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