title: Capillary-free vascularized retina in patients with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity and late retinal capillary formation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the clinical features, clinical course, and treatment outcomes after laser photocoagulation in infants with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (APROP) and capillary-free zones in vascularized retina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six patients (12 eyes) with APROP and capillary-free zones in vascularized retina were retrospectively reviewed. Twelve eyes of six infants were included and were treated with laser photocoagulation for avascular retina and for capillary-free zones in vascularized retina, except for the posterior pole, and fundus findings were photographically-documented in sequence. In addition, anatomic and visual outcomes were evaluated with complications of APROP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all of the consecutive infants with APROP, capillary-free zones in vascularized retina were demonstrated in 24% of the infants. All of the infants were >27 weeks of gestation age and had birth weights >1,000 g. After laser treatment, 7 eyes (58.3%) had favorable outcomes, and late capillary filling in capillary-free zones of vascularized retina were noted, however 4 eyes (33.3%) progressed to retinal detachment and 1 eye (8.3%) was complicated by a retinal fold-distorting posterior pole. The visual outcomes were associated with anatomic outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The anatomic outcomes in infants with APROP who had capillary-free zones were comparable to previously reported infants with APROP. The late capillary filling of capillary-free zones in vascularized retina was noted, and angiogenesis was considered to be involved. This process toward normal capillary formation or neovascularization in APROP, might determine its outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jeong Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong-Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity; Angiogenesis; Capillaries
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