Outcomes of cataract surgery in children with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous.

PURPOSE: To evaluate postoperative outcomes of cataract surgery in children with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) and factors affecting outcomes.

METHODS

We analyzed 29 eyes of 28 children with PHPV presenting at a tertiary care center in northern India. All eyes underwent phacoaspiration followed by primary posterior capsulotomy with or without cauterization of persistent fetal vasculature under general anesthesia. Hydrophobic intraocular lens was implanted in selective cases. Postoperative outcomes such as clarity of visual axis, need for secondary surgical procedures, and complications were noted.

RESULTS

Out of a total of 28 children (16 male and 12 female), 27 were unilateral while 1 patient had bilateral involvement. Mean age at surgery was 25.14 months, ranging from 2 months to 144 months. Mean axial length of the globe at surgery was 19.66 ± 2.28 mm. Cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation was done in 22 eyes whereas 7 were left aphakic. The most common intraoperative complication noted was intraoperative bleed in 11 eyes (37.9%) resulting in postoperative hyphema in 9 eyes (31%) and vitreous hemorrhage in 8 eyes (27.5%). Visual axis opacification was seen in 12 eyes and all required membranectomy. Three eyes developed glaucoma while retinal detachment was noted in 2 eyes and 1 of them became phthisical.

CONCLUSIONS

Favorable outcome was more often achieved in anterior PHPV. Surgical outcomes in eyes with PHPV undergoing cataract surgery are limited by intraoperative and postoperative complications such as hyphema, vitreous hemorrhage, recurrent visual axis opacification, glaucoma, and retinal detachment.