Recovery of Visual Function after Administration of Dabigatran Etexilate

• Main Authors: Carl-Ludwig Schönfeld, Marie Fischer, Peter Distelmaier, Sebastian Philipp, Patrick Paquet, Katharina Haller, Linda Meyer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Karger Publishers 2014-08-01
• Series: Case Reports in Ophthalmology
• Subjects: Complications, postoperative; Antithrombotic agents; Dabigatran etexilate; Visual loss; Pars plana vitrectomy
• Online Access: http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/365961

A 46-year-old Caucasian female underwent pars plana vitrectomy (ppv) for retinal detachment. After the procedure, the patient could only distinguish hand movements; the condition was tentatively diagnosed as nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Conventional treatment with systemic corticosteroids and acetylsalicylic acid was ineffective and yielded substantial steroid-related side effects. Additional administration of 2 × 110 mg dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa®), a novel direct thrombin inhibitor, resulted in a prompt and marked improvement of visual acuity, which indicated improved blood flow in the central vessels of the optic nerve. Dabigatran etexilate may provide a promising alternative for the treatment of postprocedural vision loss after ppv.