RETINOPATHY of PREMATURITY Transscleral Retinal Photocoagulation (TSRPC) Retinopathy of Prematurity Transscleral Retinal Photocoagulation (TSRPC)

Retinopathy of Prematurity Transscleral Retinal Photocoagulation (TSRPC) The 810 nm diode laser wavelength makes lens-sparing transscleral coagulation of the retina possible, and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transscleral diode laser coagulation for threshold ROP, the authors performed a controlled clinical study. Forty eyes of 20 preterm infants (gestational age 24-29 weeks, mean 26.8 ± 1.6 weeks; birth weight 540-1200 g. mean 859 ± 163 g) with threshold ROP were treated with diode laser photocoagulation. One eye of each infant was treated transsclerally while the fellow eye had transpupillary coagulation using the laser indirect ophthalmoscope. Follow-up ranged from 4 to 22 months (mean 10.5 ± 6.3 months). Main outcome measure was the regression of acute ROP and the incidence of adverse treatment effects. In 20 (100%) eyes treated transpupillarly and in 19 (95%) eyes treated transsclerally ROP regressed after a single or a second laser treatment and the outcome was a flat, attached retina. One eye (5%) with zone I disease failed after transscleral laser treatment and ROP progressed to stage 4B with a partially attached retina, although retinal detachment surgery with an encircling band was performed. No adverse side effects as a result of diode laser treatment were noted except for a small amount of retinal/ preretinal bleeding in the ridge in 9 (45%) transsclerally and in 5 (25%) transpupillarly coagulated eyes. There were no adverse side effects (e.g. bleeding, cataract formation) in the anterior segments of the eyes. Conclusion: The results suggest that transscleral 810 nm diode laser coagulation for treatment of threshold ROP is as effective and safe as transpupillary diode laser photocoagulation. ROP-TS2 Transscleral versus Transpupillary Diode Laser Photocoagulation for Threshold Retinopathy of Prematurity Sieberth V, Vardarli I, Jendritza W, Knorz MC, Liesenhoff H. University Eye Clinic, Klinikum Mannheim, Germany [ARVO Abstract]. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 37(3): S695. Abstract nr 3176, 1996