Ocular complications of arteriovenous communications of the retina
A. M. Mansour, C. G. Wells, L. M. Jampol and R. E. Kalina
Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611.
Primary arteriovenous communications of the retina (AVCR) are usually
considered to be stable retinal lesions. Complications were documented in
seven cases of AVCR, including intraretinal macular hemorrhage, central and
peripheral retinal vein occlusions, neovascular glaucoma, and vitreous
hemorrhage. To explain these developments, a hypothesis is presented that
AVCR are associated with localized decreased retinal arterial pressure,
increased retinal venous pressure, increased turbulence of blood flow, and
decreased perfusion of adjacent retinal tissues.
