Surgical management of the lens and retrolenticular fibrotic membranes associated with persistent fetal vasculature.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a surgical technique that allows safe, effective, near-total removal of retrolenticular fibrotic membranes in eyes with persistent fetal vasculature syndrome (PFVS).

SETTING

Pediatric ophthalmologist's academic practice.

METHODS

This retrospective review comprised 5 children (6 eyes) who had excision of a retrolenticular fibrovascular membrane during cataract surgery over a 6-month period. Long, spoke-like radial incisions of the membrane were made to the ciliary processes, resulting in wedge-shaped segmentation of the membrane. A vitrector was used to excise each wedge and perform an anterior vitrectomy.

RESULTS

The mean age at time of surgery was 8 months (range 1 to 24 months) and the mean follow-up, 9 months (range 2 to 13 months). The membrane was successfully removed in all eyes. One eye of a patient who did not comply with the postoperative medical regimen or follow-up developed pupillary block glaucoma requiring pupilloplasty and trabeculectomy.

CONCLUSION

This anterior surgical technique to remove tenacious retrolenticular membranes associated with PFVS was effective, allowing near-total removal of the offending fibrovascular membrane.