A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF YAG LASER TRANSSCLERAL CYCLOPHOTOCOAGULATION

Abstract

To our knowledge, there have been few clinicopathological reports of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation, especially in humans. We conducted a clinicopathological study of an eye of a 58-year-old Japanese man who had undergone a transscleral YAG cyclophotocoagulation for rubeotic glaucoma. The patient developed a massive intraocular hemorrhage during the laser treatment. Two days later the patient underwent an enucleation of the blind, painful eye. A light microscopic examination of the ciliary body revealed foci of destruction of the ciliary pigmented and nonpigmented epithelium, and intact ciliary muscle. Although selective destruction of the ciliary epitheliurn had been achieved, numerous foci of hemorrhage from the anterior to the posterior portions of the intraocular structure probably complicated postoperative clinical course. These hemorrhages may have resulted from a too intense setting of the laser power. This study indicates that treatment parameters of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation should be individualized for each patient, depending on the thickness of the sclera and color of the uvea.