TRANSSCLERAL DIODE-LASER RETINOPEXY IN RETINAL-DETACHMENT SURGERY - RESULTS SF A MULTICENTER TRIAL

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transscleral diode las er for retinopexy in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgery in a mu lticenter trial.Methods: Seventy-two patients with primary rhegmatogen ous retinal detachments were enrolled. No patient with chronic detachm ent, a retinal break greater than 90 degrees, history of uveitis or in fectious retinopathy, or proliferative vitreoretinopathy was enrolled. Results: information from follow-up of 6 months or longer was availab le on 65 eyes. Retinas were attached at 6 months with a single operati on in 58 (89%) of these eyes. Complications included apparent pinpoint breaks in Bruch's membrane in 75 eyes, scleral-thermal effect in 14 e yes, and limited hemorrhage, which was intraretinal in 10 eyes and ext ended into the vitreous in 3 eyes. In one case, hemorrhage was judged perhaps to have contributed to initial surgical failure. The other com plications had no known adverse effects. Complications were significan tly associated with the physician's experience in using transscleral l aser retinopexy. Conclusions: In this multicenter study, transscleral diode laser retinopexy served as a safe and effective means of creatin g chorioretinal adhesion during retinal reattachment surgery. Minor co mplications were minimized by increasing experience with the technique .