Modern surgery successfully repairs rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Contemporary vitreoretinal surgical techniques may achieve high success rates for the repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments related to giant retinal tears, according to a study.

The retrospective consecutive case series evaluated 58 patients with a retinal tear of at least 3 clock hours who underwent repair with 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy with perfluorocarbon liquid and intravitreal tamponade.

Ten patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy of grade C or worse required membrane peeling and/or retinectomy. An encircling scleral buckle was placed in 30 patients, including all 10 eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and 30 patients received 360° endophotocoagulation. Silicone oil was used in 28 patients, C3F8 gas was used in 25 patients, and SF6 gas was used in five patients.

Visual acuity improved from a mean of 20/500 at baseline to 20/88 at a mean final follow-up of 17 months.

Single-surgery anatomic success was achieved in 51 patients, and seven patients had recurrent detachment that required additional surgeries. Final success was achieved in 100% of patients.

Of the operative variables, scleral buckle, silicone oil and 360° endophotocoagulation did not have a significant correlation with higher repair success rates. – by Kristie L. Kahl

Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.

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Source:

Pitcher JD, et al. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2015;doi:10.3928/23258160-20150521-08.