25-gauge vitrectomy to treat ocular complications of familial amyloid polyneuropathy.
OBJECTIVE
Secondary glaucoma and vitreous opacity with amyloid fibrils are the 2 major ocular complications of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). We investigated the feasibility of 25-gauge vitrectomy in excising the opaque vitreous into eyes that had already undergone trabeculectomy.


METHODS
For the purpose of vision recovery, 25-gauge vitrectomy was performed in 2 eyes with vitreous amyloidosis. Both eyes had undergone trabeculectomy to treat glaucoma secondary to FAP. The survival of the filtration bleb after 25-gauge vitrectomy was also evaluated.


RESULTS
Vision improved dramatically on the next day after the 25-gauge vitrectomy that causes minimal damage to the eye. No apparent complications including failure of the filtration bleb have been observed throughout the follow-up period of 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
25-gauge vitrectomy has a potential to become a therapy of choice to excise opaque vitreous with amyloid fibrils in FAP, especially in the glaucomatous eyes that have already undergone trabeculectomy.
Miyahara
Teruyoshi
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. mteru@hsp.md.shinshu-u.ac.jp
Ohta
Kouichi
K
Yamamoto
Yuka
Y
Ueno
Azumi
A
Murata
Toshinori
T
D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism; D028227:Amyloid Neuropathies, Familial / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014130:Trabeculectomy; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
D000682:Amyloid