[Surgical treatment of traumatic retinal detachment in children under 15 years of age].

The clinical features and results of surgical management of 68 out of a series of 101 cases of traumatic retinal detachment in childhood are described and analysed. Follow-up, in particular after the removal of silicon oil used temporarily, was always been longer than six months. Cases were divided into three groups: contusions, ocular injuries without foreign body and with foreign body. Cases of retinal detachment related to traumatic aphakia, severe myopia and associated with proliferative vitreo-retinopathy were also studied. The prognosis of retinal detachment in childhood, the main characteristics of which are late diagnosis and the early and rapid growth of proliferative vitreo-retinopathy appears to be worse in this series than usually published figures. Proliferative vitreo-retinopathy is the leading cause of surgical failure. The long term retinal reattachment rate did not exceed fifty per cent and the functional success rate was only thirty-three per cent. It is for this reason that the authors wish to emphasize the need for the provision of information to families and to ophthalmologists responsible for the management of these "high risk eyes". It is felt that the most complete surgery possible should be performed at the outset when proliferative vitreo-retinopathy exists.