Hollenhorst plaque
| Hollenhorst plaque | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Cardiovascular |
A Hollenhorst plaque is a cholesterol embolus that is seen in a blood vessel of the retina.
Cause
It is usually seen when a physician performs ophthalmoscopy, during which a plaque will appear bright, refractile, and yellow. It is caused by an embolus lodged within the retinal vessel that originated from an atheromatous plaque in a more proximal (upstream) vessel, usually the internal carotid artery. It is often an indication of a previous ischemic episode in the eye and is a sign of severe atherosclerosis.
Management
The most important step in management is to identify and treat the originating plaque to prevent further embolization.[citation needed]
Eponym
The phenomenon is named after the American ophthalmologist Robert Hollenhorst who first described their significance in 1961.[1]
References
- ^ Hollenhorst RW (1961). "Significance of bright plaques in the retinal arterioles". JAMA. 178: 23–29. doi:10.1001/jama.1961.03040400025005. PMC 1316410. PMID 13908419.
External links
 | This medical sign article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |