Is retinopathy in pancreatitis caused by leukocyte emboli?

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Abstract
The theory of granulocyte embolization in the retinal arterioles in acute pancreatitis cannot account for several aspects of the ophthalmic complication. Therefore we studied retinal circulation by fluorescein angiography, light and transmission electron microscopy following the first six hours of acute experimental necrotizing pancreatitis. The studied period was characterized by high serum lipase and amylase concentrations, hypocalcemia, necrosis of the pancreatic tissue and preceded the development of hypovolemic shock. Ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein angiography revealed no pathologic alterations and no granulocyte aggregation was found. Our results suggest that granulocyte aggregation induced by pancreatic enzymes is not the reason for the ophthalmic circulatory disturbances in acute pancreatitis.

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