Giant preretinal membrane formation behind a silicone oil bubble in a hypotensive eye

A patient who suffered a severe contusion injury with scleral rupture and subsequent peracute development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy was referred after wound closure at the local ophthalmology center. Initial treatment of the almost blind eye consisted of vitrectomy, silicone oil tamponade, and intraocular daunorubicin. A vitreous aspirate obtained during surgery was analyzed biochemically by electrophoresis and Western blotting. After a few days, the patient needed further surgical intervention because silicone oil was leaking through the primary sutured scleral wound. A giant fibrinous membrane extending over the posterior pole was removed. Double-label immunofluorescence examination of this specimen showed a positive reaction for transferrin, the cell surface transferrin receptor, fibrinogen, fibronectin, macrophages, and vimentin. No staining was obtained for proliferating cell antigen and T-lymphocyte antigen. The analysis of this case with a very well-defined clinical course offers valuable insight into the early stages of proliferative vitreoretinopathy.