Chorioretinal Biopsy in an Immunocompromised Patient with Subretinal Mass

Abstract

A 59-year-old woman with autoimmune diseases presented with rapidly decreased vision in the left eye. Clinical examination and investigations were inconclusive. Pars plana vitrectomy and chorioretinal biopsy were performed. The histopathologic examination revealed acute branching, septate hyphae morphologically consistent with Aspergillus spp. The infection responded to systemic and intravitreous voriconazole. The subretinal mass gradually subsided but eventually the eye became blind.

Chorioretinal biopsy is a valuable diagnostic procedure which, in some cases, may be the only way to provide a definite diagnosis and specific treatment of patients with progressive chorioretinal lesions of unknown etiology. In the presented case, although the vision cannot be recovered, we can avoid unnecessary enucleation and prevent the spread of infection that may threaten patient’s life.