Effect of partial cryoablation on retinopathy of prematurity.

Abstract

Cryotherapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for retinopathy of prematurity stage 3. It is said to reduce the unfavourable outcome of the disease by 50%. The accepted method of therapy includes ablation of the whole avascular retina from the ridge to the ora serrata. This is achieved by two to three rows of cryoapplications. When 360 degrees cryo treatment is performed, it requires 52 cryo applications. We present our method of cryotherapy which involves only one row of cryoapplications in the avascular retina anterior to the fibrovascular ridge. An average of 25-30 cryoapplications was required for a 360 degrees treatment. The anatomical results in 23 babies are presented. Complete regression of active retinopathy was found in all.