[Results of treatment of retinal detachment in active stage-5 retinopathy of prematurity].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the surgical and functional results of encircling scleral buckling in treatment of active stage 5 retinopathy of prematurity.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

68 premature infants (121 eyes) with active stage 5 ROP operated with the use of the modified encircling buckling technique. The surgical and functional results were compared with the results observed in 91 unoperated children with active stage 5 ROP.

RESULTS

In the operated group total retinal reattachment was observed in 52% and partial reattachment in 24.5% of premature infants. The surgery failed to reattach the retina in 23.5%. Visual acuity was: no light perception in 56.1%, light perception to 0.02 in 24.5% and 0.02 to 0.2 in 19.4% of children. In unoperated group spontaneous reattachment was observed in 6% of infants and visual acuity was: no light perception in 76%, light perception in 20% and finger counting in 4% of them.

CONCLUSION

The obtained results indicate, that modified encircling buckling can be an effective treatment in reattaching the retina in stage 5 ROP although useful vision can be obtained in only 20% of operated children.