[Retinal detachment after surgery of the anterior segment using the pars plana approach]

Anterior segment surgery via the pars plana was done on 114 eyes with the Klöti vitreous stripper between January, 1977 and December 31, 1982. In every case the posterior capsule was removed when present and anterior or total vitrectomy was performed. None of the 114 eyes had a history of retinal detachment prior to nor at the time of anterior segment surgery. There were 37 cases of trauma in this series. Follow-up varied from 1 to 66 months with 58% of cases having a follow-up of greater than one year. There was a 10.50% post-operative retinal detachment rate (12/114 eyes). Seven detachments occurred in the 37 traumatized eyes (19.10%) versus 5 detachments in 77 non-traumatized eyes (6.49%). Of the 12 detachments, 7 presented signs of severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) while the remaining 5 detachments appeared to be uncomplicated. No detachment was related to an iatrogenic tear and no case of PVR seemed to be related to the sclerotomy site. Successful reattachment was achieved in 3 out of 4 uncomplicated cases and 3 out of 5 cases with PVR. Vitrectomy and posterior capsulectomy are often mandatory in anterior segment problems: pupillary membranes, secondary cataracts, lens ectopiae and dislocations, vitreous wick and vitreocorneal touch. In our opinion other indications for vitrectomy and posterior capsulectomy are congenital, juvenile and post-uveitis cataracts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)