Background and objective: Difficulties encountered during the repair of pseudophakic retinal detachment are related to difficulties in peripheral retinal visualization and identification of retinal breaks. The implication of nonvisualized breaks in patients with pseudophakic retinal detachment is associated with lower rates of surgical success. This report decribes the results of a prospective trial to evaluate the efficacy of both scleral buckling surgery in the treatment of pseudophakic retinal detachment with undetected retinal breaks and pars plana vitrectomy techniques in the management of the cases that redetected after primary buckling surgery.
Patients and methods: This study represents 25 cases of pseudophakic retinal detachment with undiagnosed retinal breaks. In each case, we performed a scleral buckling that extended over the circumference of the retinal detachment. Pars plana vitrectomy with internal subretinal fluid drainage and long-term tamponade were performed on 7 patients with uncomplicated recurrent retinal detachments after primary buckling surgery. The mean duration of follow up was 32 months.
Results: There were 25 eyes (24.5%) of pseudophakic retinal detachment with undiagnosed retinal breaks represented in our pseudophakic retinal detachment cases. Anatomic success was achieved after the initial scleral buckling surgery in 18 eyes (72%). The overall success rate was 92%. The visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 8 patients (32%), 20/80 to 20/40 in 6 patients (24%), 5/200 to 20/80 in 7 patients (28%), and light perception to hand movement in 4 patients (16%). Complications included vitreous hemorrhage, macular pucker, cystoid macular edema, and hypotony with proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
Conclusion: Scleral buckling surgery in conjunction with cryotherapy is effective in the initial treatment of pseudophakic retinal detachment with undetectable retinal breaks. Pars plana vitrectomy with internal fluid-gas exchange and long-term tamponade can be used to treat these patients with recurrent retinal detachment after primary buckling surgery to get a higher overall success rate.