Retinotomy and retinectomy for anterior inferior proliferative vitreoretinopathy: Can visual outcome be improved?

To describe the treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of retinotomy/retinectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) complicated anterior inferior proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

Retrospective, nonrandomized, single-center case series. The outcomes of 126 cases of retinotomy/retinectomy for RD complicated by advanced (Grade C) anterior inferior PVR managed consistently by one surgeon during a 15-year period were evaluated.

Forty-two eyes (33%) had primary RDs and 84 (67%) had recurrent RDs. The extent of retinotomy/retinectomy varied: 90° in 21 eyes (17%), >90° to <180° in 49 eyes (39%), and ⩾180° to ⩽240° in 56 eyes (44%). The retinotomy/retinectomy location was peripheral in 58 eyes (46%) and equatorial in 68 eyes (54%). The mean follow-up period was 43 ± 42 months. The silicone oil (SO) was removed from 98% of the eyes. The single-operation success rate after the primary retinectomy was 87%, and the final attachment rate was 94%. Visual acuity improved from 20/630 to 20/160 (p < 0.001). Vision ⩾20/200 was achieved in 101 eyes (80%). Good visual outcome was correlated positively with preoperative VA (p = 0.02), previous vitrectomy with gas tamponade (p = 0.007), and was negatively correlated with number of previous RD operations (p = 0.01), larger extent of RD (p = 0.02) and more extensive retinotomy/retinectomy (p = 0.04).

An appropriate and timely intervention, including vitrectomy alone, inferior relaxing retinotomy/retinectomy and standard SO tamponade provide satisfactory outcomes for RDs complicated by PVR. Lesser extension of grade C PVR at baseline, such as PVR limited to one quadrant should encourage vitreoretinal specialists to consider retinotomy/retinectomy at a milder clinical stage of PVR development.