Prepapillary Vascular Loop-a New Classification

Overview

Journal Eye (Lond)

Specialty Ophthalmology

Date 2020 Apr 16

PMID 32291404

Citations 3

Authors

Ahmad M Mansour

Igor Kozak

Ali Osman Saatci

Francisco J Ascaso

Laura Broc

Maurizio Battaglia

Nuria Olivier

Pablo Gili

Jay Chhablani

Thomas R Hedges

Ana Honrubia

Laura Gutierrez

Giacomo Panozzo

Jaume Catala

Jesus Diaz

Elisa Carreras

Sibel Kadayifcilar

Eman S Al Kahtani

Sami H Uwaydat

Luiz H Lima

Hana A Mansour

Hashim Ali Khan

Thomas M Aaberg Jr

Jerald A Bovino

Alex P Hunyor

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background/objectives: To analyze the ophthalmic characteristics of congenital prepapillary vascular loop (PVL) and to propose a new morphologic classification dividing the loops into six types.

Subjects/methods: Collaborative multinational multicentre retrospective study of PVL cases.

Results: There was a total of 49 cases (61 eyes), 37 unilateral (75.5%) and 12 bilateral (24.5%), 32 arterial type (65.3%) and 18 venous type (36.7%) (one patient had either kind in each eye). The mean number of loops per eye was 2.7 (range, 1-7). The loops were asymptomatic in 42 cases (85.7%). Other findings included: the presence of cilioretinal artery (14 cases), retinal vascular tortuosity (26 cases), amaurosis fugax (1 case), branch retinal artery occlusion (1 case) and vitreous haemorrhage (3 cases). Six morphologic loop types could be discerned based on elevation (flat vs. elevated), shape (figure of 8 or corkscrew with hyaline sheath), number (multiple or single), location (central or peripheral), lumen size (arterial vs. arteriolar) and presence of vascular tortuosity or vitreous traction.

Conclusions: PVL are usually asymptomatic and can be divided into six morphologic types with different pathogenesis during early embryogenesis.

Citing Articles

Retinal Artery Occlusion Associated with Prepapillary Arterial Loop: An Isolated Ocular Disease? Case Report and Literature Review.

Mansour A, Battaglia Parodi M, Casella A, Kheir W, Bashshur Z Clin Ophthalmol. 2025; 19:449-458.

PMID: 39959879 PMC: 11829647. DOI: 10.2147/OPTH.S509248.

The RETA Benchmark for Retinal Vascular Tree Analysis.

Lyu X, Cheng L, Zhang S Sci Data. 2022; 9(1):397.

PMID: 35817778 PMC: 9273761. DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01507-y.

Pre- and juxtapapillary arterial loops in eyes with tilted disc syndrome and inferior staphyloma.

Cohen S, Nghiem-Buffet S Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep. 2021; 24:101194.

PMID: 34485757 PMC: 8405914. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajoc.2021.101194.

Prepapillary Arterial Loop Associated with Central Retinal Artery Occlusion: A Case Report.

Susanna B, Barbosa G, de Almeida L, Neto J J Curr Ophthalmol. 2021; 33(2):212-214.

PMID: 34409236 PMC: 8365583. DOI: 10.4103/joco.joco_179_20.

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