[Fluorescein angiography findings after retinotomy and retinectomy].

Drainage-retinotomies and relaxing retinectomies are helpful techniques in extreme vitreoretinal surgery. They have become established as a surgical instrument, but their possible pathophysiologic effects on the retina, pigment epithelium and choroid have not been investigated as yet. 30 Patients with retinotomies or retinectomies after vitrectomy with silicone oil filling for advanced proliferative vitreoretinopathy were studied angiographically. Fluorescein angiographic findings revealed 1. a predominant effect of endophotocoagulation in the area of the retinotomy/retinectomy with occlusion of the choriocapillaris and hyperpigmentation and window effects of the retinal pigment epithelium, but sometimes there was a localized traction effect with retinal and choroidal folds, 2. that retinal perfusion is unaffected in untreated and coagulated areas without evidence for a breakdown of the blood-retina-barrier or retinal ischemia, 3. an intact blood-retinal-barrier in areas of uncovered retinal pigment epithelium, 4. no evidence for significant reproliferations in the areas of retinotomies and retinectomies, 5. choroidal neovascular membranes which may occur postoperatively at the retinotomy site probably as a complication for intraoperative injury of Bruch's membrane, 6. a cystoid macular edema, an optic atrophy, pigment-fallout, depigmented tracks and choroidal folds as unspecific findings post retinal detachment surgery. The angiographic data support the clinical impression, that retinotomies and retinectomies performed in otherwise untreatable cases cause no significant damage in the attached retina.