Endothelial Cell Changes After Pars Plana Vitrectomy: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Center

A wide variety of vitreoretinal diseases have been majorly treated by the use of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) as the most commonly practiced treatment option. Despite the fact that it is the most feasible treatment modality, the probability of corneal endothelial cell damage following the treatment remains a matter of great concern. The study aims to inquire about the aftermath of PPV on endothelial cell density (ECD) and spans a time period of six months after the surgery has been performed.

This cross-sectional study involved 20 patients who underwent PPV at Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust (LRBT) Hospital Township, Lahore, Pakistan. ECD was measured using non-contact specular microscopy preoperatively and at 15 days, two months, and six months postoperatively. The main outcome measured was the change in ECD over time, and the results were analyzed using descriptive statistics via SPSS software (version 25.0, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY).

The mean baseline ECD was 2,421 cells/mm², which decreased to 2,185 cells/mm² by the six-month follow-up, representing an overall mean ECD loss of 13.72%. Significant reductions in ECD were observed at each postoperative time point, with the most substantial decrease occurring within the first two months post-surgery.

Corneal endothelial cells are substantially influenced by PPV, which is significantly evident by the continuous reduction in ECD following surgery. The analysis calls attention to a careful and proper post-operative observation of corneal well-being is therefore required to alleviate likely endothelial damage along with the necessity of deliberate thinking while opting for the surgical techniques. The main focus of future studies should be on how to improve the current practices involving surgical procedures to ensure minimizing the loss of endothelial cells.