[A comparison between scleral buckling procedure and vitrectomy for the management of uncomplicated retinal detachment caused by posterior retinal break].

We reviewed conventional scleral buckling and vitrectomy for uncomplicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment due to posterior retina break. A comparison was made for a consecutive series of 21 cases undergoing scleral buckling procedure and 15 cases receiving vitrectomy as the initial surgery. As regards surgical complications, in the scleral buckling procedure there was inadvertent severance or compression of the vortex veins in 16 (77%) of the 21 cases and postoperative choroidal detachment in 9 (43%). In vitrectomy, there were no remarkable intraoperative complications, but it led to progressive nuclear cataract in 10 (67%) of the 15 cases during the postoperative period. Both procedures produced successful retinal attachment with comparable visual recovery. The results indicate that vitrectomy is a useful procedure for cases of uncomplicated retinal detachment caused by deeply located retinal break.