Cryopexy in primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: a risk factor for postoperative proliferative...

To evaluate the role of cryopexy in the stimulation of postoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) in primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

A series of 595 eyes of 554 patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, referred before any failed surgery, were prospectively evaluated. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses of the data were conducted.

The incidence of postoperative PVR in relation to the methods used for retinopexy was dependent on the types and anatomy of retinal breaks associated with retinal detachment. The incidence of postoperative PVR was nil in retinal detachments due to atrophic holes in lattice, oral dialyses, and macular holes, regardless of the retinopexy methods. Postoperative PVR occurred solely in retinal detachments due to horseshoe tears (incidence 4.42%), paravascular tears of the postequatorial region (18.18%), and giant tears (24.6%) (P < 0.00001). The incidence of postoperative PVR was 0.5% in eyes with horseshoe tears with mobile posterior edges vs 9.72% in eyes with horseshoe tears with curled posterior edges, regardless of the retinopexy methods (P < 0.00001). In retinal detachments due to horseshoe tears with mobile posterior edges the incidence of postoperative PVR (0.5%) was not influenced by the retinopexy methods. In contrast, in retinal detachments due to horseshoe tears with curled posterior edges the incidence of postoperative PVR was higher in eyes managed with cryopexy (14.77%) than in eyes managed with laser retinopexy (1.78%) (P < 0.02). In retinal detachments due to giant tears the incidence of postoperative PVR was not statistically significantly greater in eyes managed with cryopexy (33.3%) than in eyes managed with laser retinopexy (15.6%). In tears 180 degrees and over in size, however, the incidence of postoperative PVR was significantly higher in eyes managed with cryopexy (9/11 eyes) than in eyes managed with laser retinopexy (5/17 eyes) (P = 0.006).

Cryopexy is not a stimulating factor for postoperative PVR in primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachments due to atrophic holes in lattice, oral dialyses, macular holes, or horseshoe tears with mobile posterior edges. In contrast, cryopexy probably is a stimulating factor for postoperative PVR in retinal detachments due to horseshoe tears with curled posterior edges or to retinal tears 180 degrees and over.