The Anatomical and Functional Outcomes of 27-Gauge Pars Plana Vitrectomy in Diabetic Tractional Retinal Detachments in the South Asian Population

Cureus. 2023 Apr 25;15(4):e38099. doi: 10.7759/cureus.38099. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Objective The objective of this article was to report the clinical and surgical outcomes of diabetic tractional retinal detachment (TRD) with 27-gauge plus pars plana vitrectomy (27G+ PPV) Methods This is a retrospective, consecutive cohort study of 196 eyes of 176 patients that underwent 27G+ PPV for TRD from July 2015 to June 2019 at the ophthalmology department of Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad. The outcomes include primary and secondary anatomical attachment of the retina, best-corrected visual acuity, and post-operative complications. Results The mean age of the patients in this study was 55.3 ± 11.3 years. Out of 176 patients, there were 47.2% (n=83) females. The mean operating time calculated was 60 ± 36 min (range 22-130 min). Of 196 eyes, 64.3% (n=126) also combined phacoemulsification with lens implantation. Internal limiting membrane peeling was done in 11.7% (n=23) of the cases. Post-operatively, 98% (n=192) achieved primary retinal attachment, and 1.5% (n=3) underwent a second procedure to achieve retinal attachment. At three months follow-up, the mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) remarkably improved from 1.86 ± 0.59 to 0.54 ± 0.32 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) (p-value<0.001). Among complications, one patient had intra-operative suprachoroidal oil migration, which was managed successfully, while post-operatively, 11 patients (5.6%) developed a transient rise in intraocular pressure, which was controlled with anti-glaucoma drugs, and one patient had vitreous cavity hemorrhage which resolved on its own with time. Conclusion This study strongly suggests that the 27G+ PPV offers successful repair of eyes with diabetic TRD with statistically significant improvement in visual acuity and minimal rate of complications.

Keywords: 27 gauge; diabetes; pars plana vitrectomy; retinal detachment; tractional retinal detachment.