Giant retinal tear retinal detachment etiologies, surgical outcome, and incidence of recurrent retinal detachment after silicone oil removal.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate etiologies, management, and outcomes of patients with giant retinal tears (GRTs) undergoing primary surgery at a tertiary referral center.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, consecutive case series of 94 patients with at least 3 months follow-up after silicone oil removal (SOR). Fifty-seven eyes (60.6%) underwent vitrectomy, 36 eyes (38.3%) underwent combined vitrectomy with buckling, and 1 eye (1.1%) underwent scleral buckling. Perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) heavy liquid to flatten GRT flap intraoperative has been used then PFCL air exchange then air-silicon exchange in all eyes undergoing vitrectomy. Fellow eye was observed for retinal detachment (RD).

RESULTS

Idiopathic cause constitutes 47 eyes (50%), in which 25 eyes (26.6%) are myopic and 22 eyes (23.4%) have a history of trauma. Eighty-five eyes (90.4%) achieved anatomic success. Visual acuity at the last follow-up was at least 20/400 in 71 eyes (75.5%) of patients. Recurrent RD after SOR was found in 21 eyes (22.3%), of which 50% had proliferative vitreoretinopathy grade C (PVR-C) or more ( = 0.03) and 20% had GRT size more than 180° ( = 0.04). Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) alone ( = 0.89) or combined PPV with buckling ( = 0.98) has no significant correlation with recurrent RD. Twenty-one percent of the fellow eye had RD.

CONCLUSION

Idiopathic cause constitutes the majority (50%). Patients with GRT who underwent surgery achieved a high anatomic success rate. PVR-C or more and GRT size more than 180° remain the most significant risk factor for recurrent RD after SOR, whereas PPV alone or combined PPV with buckling has no significant correlation with recurrent RD.