[Vitrectomy with or without cerclage in the treatment of retinal detachment]

In the beginning, pars plana vitrectomy was often combined with encircling elements in the treatment of complicated retinal detachments. Initial considerations were the limited control of the vitreous base due to the restricted view of the fundus periphery and the prevention of redetachment by anterior tears or traction. Today, additional encircling is justified in specified conditions of retinal surgery, e.g., retinal shortening by long-lasting detachments, anterior PVR, or choroidal injuries. Despite several synergistic effects in surgical management, severe complications have to be taken into account for scleral buckling in vitreoretinal surgery. Nevertheless, primary vitrectomy in combination with scleral buckling has led to a marked decrease of primary failure rate and improvement of functional results in retinal detachment surgery.