EXCISION OF EXTENSIVE SUBRETINAL FIBROSIS ASSOCIATED WITH RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH FAMILIAL EXUDATIVE VITREORETINOPATHY.

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics and treatment of the extensive subretinal fibrosis (ESF) in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment but without a tractional retinal detachment in patients with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy.

METHODS

Ten eyes of nine men and one woman with ESF in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment-familial exudative vitreoretinopathy were studied. The characteristics, surgical procedures, and the outcomes after the removal of the ESF were determined. The ESF was excised by either stripping the ESF from small retinotomies or by en bloc excision through a >180° retinotomy or retinectomy at the ora serrata.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 12.5 years. All cases had a unilateral macula-off retinal detachment with a total detachment in four eyes and detachment over two quadrants in six eyes. The first case underwent ESF stripping through small retinotomies that required seven additional surgeries with a final visual acuity of hand motion. The subsequent 9 cases underwent en bloc excision resulting in a retinal reattachment with silicone oil tamponade. The silicone oil was removed without a recurrence of the RD during a median follow-up period of 7 years. The median final visual acuity was 20/66 with a range of 20/17 to 20/500.

CONCLUSION

Extensive subretinal fibrosis can be found in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy eyes with a slowly progressive rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. We conclude that the en bloc excision of the ESF is an effective and safe procedure to reattach the retina and thus improve the visual acuity.