Surgical outcomes in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment at Srinagarind Hospital

To evaluate the surgical outcome for patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and to find out the factors influencing the anatomic reattachment and visual results.

Retrospective review of the medical records of patients for the following details: age, sex, time to diagnosis, time to surgery, phakic status, types, numbers and locations of the retinal breaks, macular status, presence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), types of surgical procedures, anatomic reattachment and visual improvement.

Two hundred and twelve patients were surgically treated by pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckling, pars plana vitrectomy or combined procedures. Initial anatomic reattachment was found in 157 cases (74.06%) and final reattachment in 193 cases (91.04%). Several factors including age, phakic status, number of the retinal breaks, macular detachment, PVR and types of surgical procedures have been identified to have a correlation with the anatomic success rate. Types of surgical procedures and time to surgery within 8 weeks of detachment have also been demonstrated to have a correlation with final visual improvement. However, only types of surgical procedures had statistically significant difference. Pneumatic retinopexy had a lower anatomic reattachment rate, but obtained a higher visual improvement than did other surgical procedures. Moreover, after repeated pneumatic retinopexy or further surgical procedures, the final anatomic success rate improved from 65.52% to 92.24%.

Surgical outcomes for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment are comparable to other studies. Types of surgical procedures had a significant correlation with anatomic reattachment and final visual improvement.