[Block-excision of intraocular processes. I. Tumors of the anterior uvea (author's transl)].

Tumors of the ciliary body and peripheral choroid are removed together with the adjacent cornea, sclera, iris and retina as a single "block". A lamellar preparation of the sclera is avoided because extent of the tumorinvasion into the sclera cannot be clinically reconized. The border of the tumor is found by fiber-optic-transillumination and thus the diameter of the block-excision is determined. The resulting defect of the globe is covered by a tectonic corneal graft. From 1971-1974 12 eyes have been operated with this method: 3 malignant melanomas of the iris invading the ciliary body; 5 tumors of the ciliary body and 4 extensive malignant melanomas involving also the peripheral choroid. The diameter of the block-excision varied from 5.5 X 5.5 to 14 X 18 mm. Simultaneous cataract extraction was performed in 5 eyes. Approximately 4 hours of the ciliary-body-circumference are excised. The preliminary results are satisfactory in view of the size of the excised tumors.