Pazopanib-induced bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment treated with scleral buckling

To report a case of bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment following pazopanib treatment and the rationale for selecting scleral buckling as the treatment approach.

A case report of a 67-year-old woman with clear cell renal cell carcinoma and metastatic progression, who was treated with pazopanib. The patient developed bilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with macular involvement. Scleral buckling was performed on both eyes.

Scleral buckling led to immediate and sustained retinal reattachment in both eyes. Postoperatively, the patient developed acute bilateral periorbital inflammation and chronic pain in the left eye.

Scleral buckling effectively treated the retinal detachment in this pazopanib-treated patient. It may be a preferred treatment option over pars plana vitrectomy with laser retinopexy, since literature review revealed a case report of failed laser retinopexy in a pazopanib-treated patient. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between pazopanib and postoperative periorbital inflammation and chronic eye pain.