The incidence and the results of active treatment of acute retrolental fibroplasia

Abstract

Over a four year period three hundred and thirty-nine (339) "at risk" premature neonates were examined, and sixty-five (65) cases of acute R.L.F. (19%) were detected. The overall observed incidence of acute R.L.F. in these surviving babies under 1000 gms birthweight was 47%, in those whose birthweight was 1001-1500 gms the incidence was 22%. The incidence of acute R.L.F., in those babies whose birthweight was greater than 1501-2000 gms was 4.0%. Most of the cases of acute R.L.F. that were detected occurred in those infants with a birth weight less than 1500 gms. Seventy-eight per cent (78%) of these cases of acute R.L.F. were mild and resolved spontaneously. Severe cases occurred only in those babies with a very low birthweight (less than 1100 gms). Active treatment with cryopexy or photocoagulation was undertaken in 15 eyes of 9 infants. Thirteen (13) of the fifteen (15) eyes treated resolved, and there were no blind patients in the series at the end of the study.