Dr Unnikrishnan Nair AIOS 10193 Tomographic Evaluation of Optic Nerve Head Pits by Spectral Domain OCT FP 694/ E Poster No 243 Dr Unnikrishnan Nair AIOS 10193
Aim & Methodology To analyse the various clinical and tomographic features like the position and nature of the pit, associated schisis , glial components over the disc , presence of SRF and PVD and extent of foveal involvement in a series of 13 patients with ONH pits 5 Line raster , Macular Cube 512 X 128 of the Carl Zeiss Cirus HD OCT were used to assess the tomographic features
Clinical appearance of ONH Pits Asymptomatic Pit Pit with resolved fluid and Extensive RPE atrophy Pit with Schisis & RD
Tomographic features evaluated Pit communication with schisis Pit communication with vitreous Pit communication into substance of ONH Schisis SRF Glial tissue over disc Cloquets canal remnants Presence or absence of PVD IS OS loss at fovea
Pit communication with schisis Communication of pit with schisis Pit communication with Vitreous and Subarachnoid space Communication of pit between VC & SAS Schisis Pit edge
Diaphanous membrane/glial tissue over pit Break in diaphanous membrane Cloquet Canal Remnants originating from depth of cup
Schisis & SRF Schisis SRF SRF Glial Tissue over pit Communication of pit with schisis Traction on glial tissue supposedly keeping communication between schisis open Glial Tissue in cup
Tomographic features Communication of pit with schisis Communication between SAS and Vitreous cavity through Pit 11/13 Schisis 10/13 Subretinal Fluid 5/13 Glial remnants 9/ 13 Traction at Disc 7/9 with glial tissue on disc Cloquets remnants 8/13 No PVD No PVD in schisis 9/10
Pathogenesis Congenital pits of the optic nerve head result from an imperfect closure of the superior edge of the embryonic fissure. An unequal growth on both sides causes a delayed closure of the fissure at approximately 5 weeks of gestation. The outgrowth of axons from certain ganglion cells may be incomplete so that the primitive epithelial papilla is built up with aberrant nerve fibres. These anomalous papillomacular nerve fibre bundles may be less resistant, predisposing this sector to spontaneous schisis-like retinal detachments during later life
Mechanism causing optic disc pit maculopathy It has been considered to be vitreous traction on the optic disc pit A reservoir for the fluid from the subarachnoid space might be the vitreous cavity with an egress into it provided by some retinal fenestration near the optic nerve head Egress into the Schisis space is considered to be due to traction at the optic nerve edge redirecting fluid intraretinally.
Comparative studies Postel et al described a hole or tear in the diaphanous tissue overlying the optic pit in all of their seven cases Akiba et al noted a residual Cloquet's canal moving in concert with a pulsating translucent membrane over the optic disc pit to cause anterior-posterior vitreous traction. The glial tissue might have developed after continuous vitreous traction of the vitreous strand attached to the optic disc pit Bonnet et al reported that 25 eyes with a macular detachment associated with an optic disc pit did not have a PVD Bonnet M. Serous macular detachment associated with optic nerve pits. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 1991;229(6):526–532.. Akiba J, Kakehashi A, Hikichi T, Trempe CL. Vitreous findings in cases of optic nerve pits and serous macular detachment. Am J Ophthalmol. 1993 Jul 15;116(1):38–41
Conclusion The following features have been noted and may explain the reason for pits developing schisis and RD Communication between a schisis cavity or subretinal space and the optic nerve pit Cystic degeneration and schisis A direct communication between the subretinal space and vitreous cavity Glial tissue with traction and absence of PVD