Surgical management of subfoveal neovascularization in children.
OBJECTIVE
To report the authors' clinical experience with submacular surgery for subfoveal membranes in children and to evaluate the histopathologic findings of membranes in children with various etiologies of choroidal neovascularization.


METHODS
Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.


METHODS
Twelve eyes of 12 consecutive children with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization treated by vitrectomy and excision of the choroidal neovascular complex.


METHODS
Vitrectomy, excision of the choroidal neovascular complex, and air-fluid exchange.


METHODS
Visual acuity and recurrence of choroidal neovascular membrane.


RESULTS
Preoperative visual acuities ranged from 20/60 to 20/800 (median, 20/300). Postoperative visual acuities ranged from 20/25 to 20/400 (median, 20/80) after an average follow-up of 20 months (range, 7-62 months). Ten of 12 eyes improved from immediate preoperative visual acuity, and four eyes developed recurrence of neovascular membranes over a mean follow-up of 18 months. Histopathologic examination of six excised membranes showed that the most common components of the membranes were retinal pigment epithelium, fibrocytes, vascular endothelium, and collagen.


CONCLUSIONS
Selected eyes of children with subfoveal neovascular membranes and no evidence of membrane regression may benefit from submacular surgery. The histopathologic findings were similar to adult choroidal neovascularization not associated with age-related macular degeneration.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy