Br J Ophthalmol 2000;84:1383-1386
( December )
Diode laser treatment of posterior retinopathy of prematurity
Ruth Axer-Siegela, Moshe Snira, Dan Cotleara, Ayala Maayanb, Ronit Frillinga, Irit Rosenbaltta, Dov Weinbergera, Israel Kremera, Lea Sirotab
a Department of
Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva,
Israel, b Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Schneider
Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tiqva, Israel
Correspondence to: Dr Ruth Axer-Siegel, Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center,
Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva, 49101, Israel
seegs{at}netvision.net.il
Accepted for publication 1 June 2000
AIMS
To study the
efficacy of infrared diode laser for the treatment of posterior
retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
METHODS48 eyes of 25 premature babies (mean birth weight 779 (SD 127.7) g; mean gestational
age 25.5 (SD 1.47) weeks) with threshold ROP in zone I and posterior
zone II were treated by the indirect infrared (810 nm) diode laser.
Confluent burns were applied to the avascular retina. In 18 eyes, an
additional row of laser burns was added posterior to the ridge.
RESULTSFavourable
anatomical results were noted in 41 eyes (85.4%). ROP stage 5 developed in two eyes, ROP stage 4A developed in four eyes, and ROP
stage 4B in one eye. Three of the eyes with stage 4A eyes were
successfully buckled; the fourth was not operated on and remained
demarcated by laser scars. No complications were noted.
CONCLUSIONIn this
series, the diode laser was found to be a safe and effective treatment
for posterior ROP.
© 2000 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
