A clinicopathological study of persistent fetal vasculature

PURPOSE: To study the clinicopathological findings of Persistent Fetal Vasculature (PFV) in patients with congenital cataract and PFV. METHODS: Six eyes with anterior or combined PFV with cataract underwent phacoaspiration with primary posterior capsulotomy with anterior vitrectomy with intraocular lens implantation followed by histopathological evaluation of the PFV stalk and membrane. RESULTS: Four and two patients had combined and anterior PFV respectively. There was no postoperative hyphema, vitreous haemorrhage, glaucoma or retinal detachment in six months. Haematoxylin and eosin staining showed inflammatory cells predominantly with extramedullary hematopoeisis and vascularisation. CONCLUSION: We recommend IOL implantation in PFV, with early and aggressive amblyopia therapy.