[Retinal detachment following extraction of an intraocular foreign body. Effects of vitrectomy]

Intra-ocular foreign bodies have an extremely poor prognosis, retinal detachment with vitreo-retinal retraction being the main factor of treatment failure. Vitrectomy appears to be an effective method for preventing this complication. 77 patients with intra-ocular foreign bodies were studied in two separate groups: 45 patients in group I did not have preventive vitrectomy and 23 developed retinal detachments; 32 patients in group II did have preventive vitrectomy within 3 weeks following foreign body extraction, and only 6 patients developed retinal detachment. Vitreous hemorrhage and cataract were present in all cases with retinal detachment. The retinal detachment rate was significatively different between group I and II. Early vitrectomy seems to be effective in preventing retinal detachment after an intra-ocular foreign body. However, others factors still have to be studied: cataract, hemorrhage, contusion.