Lamellar resection of sclera in treatment of retinal detachment; preliminary report.

Abstract

THE PURPOSE of this preliminary report is to draw the attention of American ophthalmic surgeons to the procedure of lamellar resection of the sclera, which consists of the removal of tangential strips of three-fourths of the scleral thickness in conjunction with diathermy coagulation. The sclera is shortened by means of buried nonabsorbable (silk) surgical sutures U. S. P., causing an infolding of the surgically thinned area. The operation is simple to perform and does not expose the globe to any of the dire complications attending penetrating scleral resections. Ordinarily, the number of cases seen in any individual clinical practice is not great enough to permit the collection of a mass of statistics in a short period. Therefore it is hoped that the experience of others will be an aid to a more accurate knowledge of the indications for its use and even to improvements in technique, to the end that