Objective: To study the efficacy of bedside treatment by laser photocoagulation for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Methods: The clinical data of 30 cases of ROP who underwent peripheral laser ablation on bedside in the NICU from March to August 2009 were studied retrospectively.
Results: A total of 59 eyes from 30 patients received the laser therapy, with a total cure rate of 95%. According to the International Classification of ROP, 26 eyes of 13 infants had zone 1 disease, and 33 eyes of 17 infants had zone 2 disease. The birth gestational age and birth weight as well as corrected gestational age and corrected weight at operation in the zone 1 disease group were significantly lower than those in the zone 2 disease group. The number of laser spots in the zone 1 disease group was significantly higher than that in the zone 2 disease group. The cure rate in the zone 2 disease group (100%) was significantly higher than that in the zone 1 disease group (88%).
Conclusions: Laser retinal photocoagulation on bedside in the NICU is effective for both zone 1 and zone 2 ROP. As compared with the infants with zone 2 disease, the infants with zone 1 disease may have a poor outcome.