[Diode laser photocoagulation of retinopathy of prematurity]. / Fotocoagulación con láser de diodo en la retinopatía del prematuro.

OBJECTIVE: To describe diode laser photocoagulation results in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in our hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective cross-sectional study based on clinical histories of the premature infants treated during the period from 2004 to 2008. RESULTS: In the treated group we found a predominance of pre-threshold retinopathy versus threshold retinopathy (84.35% vs 15.65%). The anatomic results were good in 96.5% of 147 eyes. None of the treated eyes in pre-threshold stage showed a poor result. Nine months after treatment, 84.85% of 132 eyes showed good functional results. A poor visual response was associated in most of the cases with neurological diseases. Infants with intraventricular haemorrhages had the worst anatomical and functional results. Strabismus (23.5%) and nystagmus (10.3%) rates were high, probably due to the increased prevalence of neurological diseases. The mortality rate in treated children was 7.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Diode laser photocoagulation in ROP offers very good anatomical results when performed at the appropriate time. Nevertheless, prematurity is still a very important cause of visual dysfunction in infancy due to the associated neurological disturbances.

Fotocoagulación con láser de diodo en la retinopatía del prematuro / Diode laser photocoagulation of retinopathy of prematurity

Objetivo: Describir los resultados de la fotocoagulación con láser de diodo en la retinopatía del prematuro (RP) en nuestro hospital. Material y método: Estudio transversal, retrospectivo, basado en las historias clínicas de los niños prematuros tratados en el periodo de 2004 a 2008. Resultados: La población tratada tiene un predominio de la retinopatía preumbral frente a retinopatía umbral (84,35 vs. 15,65%). Los resultados anatómicos fueron buenos en el 96,5% de 147 ojos. Ningún ojo tratado en fase preumbral tuvo mal resultado anatómico. A los 9 meses del tratamiento, los resultados funcionales fueron buenos en un 84,85% de 132 ojos. La mala respuesta visual se asoció en la mayoría de los casos a enfermedad neurológica. Los niños con hemorragia intraventricular tienen peores resultados anatómicos y funcionales. Las tasas de estrabismo (23,5%) y de nistagmo (10,3%) son altas y creemos que se deben a la elevada prevalencia de enfermedades neurológicas. La mortalidad en los bebés tratados fue del 7,3%. Conclusiones: La fotocoagulación con láser de diodo en la retinopatía del prematuro, practicándola en el momento oportuno, da muy buenos resultados anatómicos. A pesar de todo, la prematuridad sigue siendo una causa importante de disfunción visual en la infancia debido a las lesiones neurológicas con que se asocia(AU)

Objective: To describe diode laser photocoagulation results in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in our hospital. Material and method: Retrospective cross-sectional study based on clinical histories of the premature infants treated during the period from 2004 to 2008. Results: In the treated group we found a predominance of pre-threshold retinopathy versus threshold retinopathy (84.35% vs 15.65%). The anatomic results were good in 96.5% of 147 eyes. None of the treated eyes in pre-threshold stage showed a poor result. Nine months after treatment, 84.85% of 132 eyes showed good functional results. A poor visual response was associated in most of the cases with neurological diseases. Infants with intraventricular haemorrhages had the worst anatomical and functional results. Strabismus (23.5%) and nystagmus (10.3%) rates were high, probably due to the increased prevalence of neurological diseases. The mortality rate in treated children was 7.3%. Conclusions: Diode laser photocoagulation in ROP offers very good anatomical results when performed at the appropriate time. Nevertheless, prematurity is still a very important cause of visual dysfunction in infancy due to the associated neurological disturbances(AU)