title: Scleral buckling for stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Both vitrectomy and scleral buckling have been used to treat patients with stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The standard procedure of scleral buckling for treatment of stage 4 ROP is encircling scleral buckling. The effectiveness of segmental scleral buckling is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to analyze the surgical results of patients with stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity treated with either encircling or segmental scleral buckling.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the anatomic outcomes of 23 eyes (18 infants) with stage 4 A or B ROP treated with scleral buckling. Segmental buckling was used to treat 15 eyes with detachment limited to the temporal side of the retina, while 9 eyes with detachment involving both the nasal and temporal sides were treated with encircling scleral buckling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Macular reattachment during a mean follow-up period of 34 months (range: 2 weeks to 9 years) was accomplished in 11 (79%) of the 14 eyes treated with segmental scleral buckling and 4 (44%) of the 9 eyes that received encircling scleral buckling. There were no intraoperative complications recorded. None of the eyes that achieved macular reattachment developed recurrent macular detachment during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scleral buckling appears to be effective for treatment of stage 4 ROP. In patients with temporal side retinal detachment only, segmental scleral buckling provides adequate treatment for stage 4 ROP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, ROC.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012591:Scleral Buckling / Q000379:methods*; D013536:Suture Techniques