CILIARY BODY ENDOPHOTOCOAGULATION DURING PARS-PLANA VITRECTOMY FOR PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS WITH VITREORETINAL DISORDERS AND GLAUCOMA

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of ciliary body endophotocoagulat ion during pars plana vitrectomy in eyes of pediatric patients with me dically uncontrolled glaucoma. METHOD: We compared preoperative and po stoperative intraocular pressure and visual acuity in five eyes of fiv e patients aged between 10 months and 14.5 years who had 180 degrees o f ciliary body endophotocoagulation with pars plana vitrectomy. RESULT S: Preoperative intraocular pressure on medical therapy for glaucoma r anged from 30 to 55 mm Hg (median, 35 mm Hg). Postoperative follow-up ranged from 12 to 24 months, with a median of 16 months. Postoperative intraocular pressure on medical therapy ranged from 12 to 35 mm Hg (m edian, 25 mm Hg) at 6 weeks, from 12 to 33 mm Hg (median, 29 mm Hg) at 6 months, and from 12 to 29 mm Hg (median, 27 mm Hg) at 12 months. Tw elve months after surgery, mean intraocular pressure reduction of 20 m m Hg was statistically significant (P =.020). CONCLUSION: Ciliary body endophotocoagulation during pars plana vitrectomy may be an effective treatment for pediatric patients with simultaneous uncontrolled glauc oma and vitreoretinal disorders. (Am J Ophthalmol 1998;126:123-725. (C ) 1998 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).