Diagnostic sensitivity of vitrectomy and vitreous biopsy for vitritis

To investigate sensitivity of diagnostic vitrectomy and vitreous biopsy for patients with vitritis of unknown aetiology.

Retrospective analysis of all vitrectomies and vitreous biopsies, performed at St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK, for vitritis between February 2001 and February 2019. Patients were identified using the VITREOR database and records were reviewed. Patients were categorised as infectious, non-infectious or masquerade based on final diagnosis. Sensitivity of both diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and vitreous cutter biopsy in each category was investigated. Furthermore, data on gender, age, and method of anaesthesia were also collected.

In our cohort, 64 patients underwent PPV with a diagnostic sensitivity of 67% (43/64) overall and 60% (18/30), 56% (9/16) and 89% (16/18) for those with infectious, masquerade and non-infectious aetiologies, respectively. In comparison, 96 patients underwent a vitreous cutter biopsy with diagnostic sensitivity of 74% (71/96) overall and 71% (55/77), 67% (4/6) and 92% (12/13) for those with infectious, masquerade and non-infectious aetiologies, respectively. No statistically significant difference in sensitivity was identified between the vitrectomy and vitreous biopsy groups for either aetiology. Patients undergoing vitrectomy were noted to be older (p = 0.02) and more likely to undergo a general anaesthetic (p < 0.01).

Herein we demonstrate similar diagnostic sensitivity of PPV and vitreous cutter biopsy in patients with vitritis of unknown aetiology.