Vitreous incarceration in patients undergoing second 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for recurrent retinal detachment

Purpose. To observe and classify vitreous incarcerations in patients undergoing second 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for recurrent retinal detachment. Methods. Retrospective noncomparative consecutive case series. Eighty-two consecutive patients with recurrent retinal detachment were included. The previous sclerotomy sites were examined by our sclera depression method and the vitreous incarceration were classified into Grade 0-IV by their severity under surgical microscope before second surgery. The relationship of vitreous incarceration and different ports was statistically investigated in our included patients. Results. Vitreous incarceration in the previous sclerotomy sites were found frequently. Vitreous cutter sites were most involved, but the infusion pipe sites were the least. According to our classification and definition, Grade III and IV of vitreous incarceration in all the three different sclerotomy sites accounted for 32.5%. Grade II of vitreous incarceration consisted of 12.6%. Grade 0 and I in all the three different sclerotomy sites were 54.8%. The frequency of all grades of vitreous incarceration in light port or vitreous cutter port was significant higher than that in infusion port. Conclusions. Vitreous incarceration in light port and vitreous cutter port are found more common than in infusion port for 20-gauge PPV with our new method.