Purtscher-like retinopathy in patients with exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis: case report

Purtscher retinopathy is a rare retinal disease, which is typically associated with severe injuries (head contusion, chest compression, pelvic bone fractures, etc.) and manifested by severe vision loss, multiple light lesions, and intraretinal hemorrhages. Purtscher-like retinopathy is (a type of Purtscher retinopathy) a rare and therefore poorly understood condition. Its most common cause is severe systemic conditions of solid organs. The pathophysiology of Purtscher-like retinopathy includes retinal vasculature microembolization resulting in arteriolar and precapillary occlusion. This leads to infarcts in the retinal nerve fiber layer and cotton-wool spots. Compression traumas cause an acute increase in venous pressure, leading to angiospasm and vascular endothelial damage, followed by vascular occlusion. Currently, there is neither a single diagnostic algorithm nor a unified treatment for this condition, which makes it an urgent issue. The article presents clinical observations and treatment outcomes in two patients with Purtscher-like retinopathy secondary to exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis.