title: 25-gauge vitrectomy to treat ocular complications of familial amyloid polyneuropathy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. mteru@hsp.md.shinshu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Teruyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyahara
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Azumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murata
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid