Induction of Posterior Vitreous Detachment in Pediatric Vitrectomy by Preoperative Intravitreal Injection of Tissue Plasminogen Activator.

PURPOSE: To report the efficacy of intravitreal injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) with or without autoserum in induction of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) in pediatric vitrectomy.

METHODS

Retrospective, interventional case series of pediatric patients receiving intravitreal injection of tPA preoperatively to facilitate PVD in vitrectomy from January 2011 to December 2014 at the Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan. All patients received intravitreal injections of 25 µg of tPA 3 days before vitrectomy. For cases without preexisting vitreous hemorrhage, 0.1 mL of intravitreal autologous serum was co-administered. Main outcome measures included successful rate of posterior vitreous detachment in vitrectomy, visual outcome, and related ocular complications.

RESULTS

Four boys and 2 girls were included. Ages ranged from 39 weeks' postmenstrual age to 8 years. The indications for vitrectomy were traumatic macular hole (cases 1 and 2); premacular hemorrhage secondary to retinopathy of prematurity (case 3); abusive head trauma with premacular hemorrhage, subinternal limiting membrane hemorrhage, and macular hole (case 4); trauma with dense vitreous hemorrhage (case 5); and vitreous hemorrhage with unknown cause (case 6). Successful PVD was induced intraoperatively in all cases and the macular hole was closed successfully in 3 of 3 cases (cases 1, 2, and 4). No surgical complications were noted. Visual outcome improved in all 3 eyes with checkable preoperative visual acuity (cases 1, 2, and 6).

CONCLUSIONS

Intravitreal injection of tPA 3 days before vitrectomy may be a helpful adjunct to induce pediatric PVD.