Considerations and surgical approach to vitreous, retinal, and chorioretinal biopsy

This review summarizes the literature regarding vitreous and chorioretinal biopsy, with a focus on surgical techniques and methods to optimize diagnostic yield for the collected samples.

Various novel options for analyzing vitreous samples are being explored such as cell-free DNA analysis, single parameter flow cytometry, and mass spectrometry. These methods show promise in diagnosing primary intraocular lymphoma.

Vitreous and chorioretinal biopsies may be required in atypical cases of intraocular inflammation that do not respond to treatment or do not respond as anticipated. A thorough differential diagnosis is important, allowing the surgeon to order and prioritize the appropriate testing for an obtained sample. As these samples can be limited or challenging to collect, it is also crucial that vitreoretinal surgeons optimize their diagnostic yield by communicating with various labs that are involved with sample processing.