title: A new modified technique for the treatment of high-risk prethreshold ROP under the direct visual control of RetCam 3.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a new modified technique in the treatment of ROP (retinopathy of prematurity) using the RetCam 3 digital imaging system - Camera-Assisted Laser photocoagulation and Cryotherapy of the Retina (CALCR).
  
  
  METHODS
  From Nov 2011 to Oct 2013, 113 infants were diagnosed with ROP. The average post-conceptual age (PCA) at the time of diagnosis was the 35(th) week of PCA; the average birth weight was 1,041 g. According to the ETROP study, the avascular part of the retina of infants with high-risk prethreshold ROP was treated with a trans-scleral diode laser or with cryotherapy within 48-72 h after the diagnosis. The intervention was performed under general anaesthesia under the direct visual control of the RetCam 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CALCR technique was used in all 23 infants (46 eyes) diagnosed with high-risk prethreshold ROP. The average age of these infants at the time of the intervention was the 38(th) week of PCA. None of the infants had any serious complications during the CALCR procedure. In contrast to the traditional technique, CALCR offers many benefits: the image of the retina is real, magnified and not inverted, it shows details of the retina in a high resolution, photo and video documentation is available. Therefore the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative condition of the retina can be precisely evaluated and compared on a fully standardized basis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CALCR procedure represents a new technique providing greater accuracy when targeting the avascular part of the retina, enables better visualisation and more precise treatment, and reduces the risk of unintended damage to healthy retinal tissue.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Ostrava, Czech Republic.|Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno and Faculty Hospital Brno.|Department of Craniofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava.
authors.forename: Juraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Timkovic
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Ostrava, Czech Republic.|Department of Craniofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nemcansky
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Ostrava, Czech Republic.|Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno and Faculty Hospital Brno.|Department of Craniofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava.
authors.forename: Dalibor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cholevik
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Ostrava, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Masek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno and Faculty Hospital Brno.
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Autrata
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno and Faculty Hospital Brno.
authors.forename: Inka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krejcirova
mesh_terms: D017679:Cryotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010781:Photography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: RetCam photography; cryotherapy; laser photocoagulation; retinopathy of prematurity