Central retinal vein thrombosis: Serial treatment with defibrination, aspirin and plasminotropic drugs

A patient with central retinal vein thrombosis was successively treated with defibrination by ancrod for 68 days, reaching a dose of 9360 u/day, then by Defibrase for 50 days to a dose of 40 ml/day; and subsequently with Aspirin for 54 days and then with the plasminotropic drugs phenformin and ethyl oestrenol for 177 days followed by stanozolol for 482 days. None of the treatments appeared to modify the course of the disease, but perhaps they were started too late. However, the large doses of the defibrinating agents were well tolerated, despite evidence for the development of antibodies. Observations were also made on the rate of regeneration of plasma fibrinogen when the defibrination was terminated, and on the shortening of the whole blood clot lysis time during plasminotropic treatment.