Unrecordable pulsatile ocular blood flow may signify severe stenosis of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery

• Published in: British journal of ophthalmology Vol. 87; no. 12; pp. 1478 - 1480
• Main Authors: Barkana, Y, Harris, A, Hefez, L, Zaritski, M, Chen, D, Avni, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JR BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01-12-2003; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; Copyright 2003 British Journal of Ophthalmology
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia; Anesthesia depending on type of surgery; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; blood; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood pressure; Cardiology. Vascular system; carotid; Carotid arteries; Carotid Artery, Internal - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery, Internal - surgery; Carotid Stenosis - diagnosis; Carotid Stenosis - physiopathology; Carotid Stenosis - surgery; Clinical Science - Scientific Reports; Disease; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Endarterectomy, Carotid; Eye - blood supply; Eye - diagnostic imaging; Eye - physiopathology; Female; Glaucoma; Humans; Intraocular Pressure; Male; Manometry; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Ophthalmology; Orthopedic surgery. Maxillofacial surgery. Otorhinolaryngologic surgery. Stomatology. Ophtalmology. Investigation and treatment technics; Pulsatile Flow; pulsatile ocular blood flow; Regional Blood Flow; stenosis; Surgery; Ultrasonography; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Veins & arteries; United Kingdom > UK; Human; Eye; Ipsilateral; Ocular; Carotid; Internal; Severe; Blood flow
• ISSN: 0007-1161; 1468-2079
• DOI: 10.1136/bjo.87.12.1478

Aim: To examine the relation between stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF). Methods: In 57 eyes of 30 patients who were referred for Doppler ultrasound examination of the ICA we measured POBF and analysed the correlation with degree of ipsilateral ICA stenosis. Results: There was a significant negative correlation between POBF and ipsilateral ICA stenosis (Pearson correlation coefficient, r  =  −0.516, p <0.0001). In 14 eyes POBF could not be measured by the OBF tonometer, and in 11 of these cases (79%) severe stenosis (>75%) of the ipsilateral ICA was present. When these eyes were excluded from analysis, there was no correlation between POBF and ICA stenosis (r  =  −0.02, p = 0.91). Among these 43 eyes in which POBF could be measured it ranged 667–2095 µl/min with a mean of 970.72 µl/min. Conclusion: Low or unrecordable POBF may signify severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery. POBF is not a direct reflection of ipsilateral ICA blood flow.