Surgical Outcomes of Vitrectomy with Gas or Silicone Oil Tamponade for Giant Retinal Tears.

INTRODUCTION

The aims of the study were to assess the long-term anatomic and functional outcomes in giant retinal tear (GRT)-associated retinal detachment (GRT-RD) and identify factors associated with recurrence.

METHODS

This is a retrospective monocentric study of the patients treated for GRT-RD between 2017 and 2022 at Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France.

RESULTS

A total of 65 eyes from 64 patients were analyzed with a mean follow-up of 21.5 months. The mean age was 52.7 years and 89.2% of them were men. 69.3% of eyes were phakic, the mean axial length was 25.4 mm, and 15 eyes had high myopia. The mean size of the GRT was 147.7°. Macula was attached in 33 cases. All the patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy. Perfluorocarbon liquids were used in almost all cases. Retinopexy was then performed. Silicone oil tamponade was used in 47 eyes and gas tamponade was used in 18 eyes (27.7%). Recurrence of RD occurred in 15 eyes. Factors associated with a recurrence of the RD were macula-off detachment and the presence of another retinal tear. No significant differences were made between silicone oil or gas tamponade in terms of recurrence. No significant difference was shown in postoperative outcomes between the two groups of tamponades.

CONCLUSION

GRT-RD remains serious with a recurrence rate of 23% in this series. Whereas gas tamponade is less frequently used, its use showed no significant difference compared to silicone oil in terms of postoperative outcomes, and no difference in risk of recurrence of RD in this study.