Success Rates for Retinal Detachment Repair in Alberta: A Physician Learning Program Initiative

To identify primary surgical success rates for retinal detachment repair in Alberta and compare functional outcomes of methods of repair.

Data was retrospectively extracted from the Alberta Health Services Discharge Abstract Database and the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System for all patients diagnosed with retinal detachment and vitreoretinal procedures during the 2008/09 to 2012/13 fiscal years.

Of the 5,433 surgeries for retinal detachment identified, 279 were excluded due to invalid provincial health numbers, unidentified procedure location, and/or treating physician other than an Alberta retina surgeon. The final analysis included 4,336 detachments in 4,020 patients. The average primary retinal detachment success rate was 84.9% (3,680/4,336). Primary success rates varied between vitrectomy only (84.9%, 2,149/2,532), vitrectomy and scleral buckle (85.5%, 818/957), and scleral buckle (84.4%, 702/832).

Alberta retina surgeons have an average primary success rate of 84.9% (3,680/4,336) for repair of retinal detachments. This result is in keeping with other published retinal detachment success rate studies.