Paracentral acute middle maculopathy following internal carotid artery stenting

Abstract

Purpose: To report a case of paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) that presented after internal carotid artery stenting despite the use of a filter embolic protection device. Observations: A 74-year-old man presented one week following transfemoral stenting of the right internal carotid artery for high-grade stenosis. A filter-type embolic protection device was used during the stenting procedure to prevent distal embolization of atherosclerotic debris. Dilated examination of the right eye revealed a parafoveal gray lesion in the macula and optical coherence tomography showed a corresponding placoid hyperreflective band at the level of the inner nuclear layer consistent with PAMM. The patient was asymptomatic. At 10 weeks follow up the PAMM lesion was resolved. Conclusions: PAMM occurred following internal carotid artery stenting despite the use of a filter embolic protection device, likely due to embolic debris passing through the filter device or debris released while the filter was in a collapsed state. The PAMM lesion was small and resolved without visual sequelae.

Keywords

• Carotid artery stenting
• Filter embolic protection device
• Optical coherence tomography
• Paracentral acute middle maculopathy
• Retinal capillary ischemia