LONGTERM-FOLLOW-UP AFTER EARLY PRIMARY VITRECTOMY IN PENETRATING OCULAR INJURIES WITH INTRAOCULAR FOREIGN BODIES

97th DOG Annual Meeting 1999

P453
LONGTERM-FOLLOW-UP AFTER EARLY PRIMARY VITRECTOMY IN PENETRATING OCULAR INJURIES WITH INTRAOCULAR FOREIGN BODIES

T. Behme, C. Jandeck, U.Kellner

After penetrating ocular injuries with intraocular foreign bodies in the posterior segment, it is suggested in the literature to perform vitrectomy with removal of the foreign body after up to two weeks time because of the occuring posterior vitreous detachment, which faciliates the surgical procedure . On the other hand it is known, that the rate of PVR increases with the interval between injury and removal of the foreign body.

Aim of our study was to find out whether the early and controlled removal of the foreign body with intraocular magnet or intraocular forceps is able to decrease the rate of PVR without inducing other complications.

Patients: 11 patients with a mean age of 29,6 years underwent vitrectomy with removal of the foreign body 3 days (=mean; range: 0-7 days) after injury. Initial visual acuity was 20/400 (=mean; range: handmovements - 20/20). After a mean follow-up of 15,4 month in 8 patients visual acuity improved 2 lines. The mean visual acuity was 20/80 (handmovements - 20/20)

Results: We observed PVR in none of the patients. 2 patients developed retinal detachment, 1 patient an endophthalmitis.

Conclusion: Early vitrectomy with controlled removal of the foreign body by intraocular forceps (nonmagnetic materials) or intraocular magnet (metallic materials) is the method of choice because of the low rate of complications and early visual rehabilitation.

Eye-Department, Benjamin Franklin Hospital, Free University Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12200 Berlin

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