Retinal Detachment After Subretinal Stem Cell Transplantation

• Published in: Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 600 - 601
• Main Authors: Leung, Ella H, Flynn, Jr, Harry W, Albini, Thomas A, Medina, Carlos A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SLACK INCORPORATED 01.06.2016
• Subjects: Humans; Macular Degeneration - congenital; Macular Degeneration - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Retina; Retinal Detachment - diagnosis; Retinal Detachment - etiology; Retinal Detachment - surgery; Scleral Buckling - methods; Stem Cell Transplantation - adverse effects; Stem cells; Transplantation, Autologous; Transplants & implants
• ISSN: 2325-8160; 2325-8179
• DOI: 10.3928/23258160-20160601-16

A 60-year-old man with Stargardt's macular dystrophy and visual acuity of 20/400 in the right eye and 20/60 in the left eye underwent a subretinal injection of autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells in the right eye. The patient developed a retinal detachment in the right eye 2 months later that was initially treated with a scleral buckle, but the patient subsequently developed a recurrent retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy. A pars plana vitrectomy, membrane peel, fluid-air exchange, endolaser, and silicone oil injection were then performed. The retina remained attached 5 months later, with improvement in visual acuity from hand motions to 20/300 post-vitrectomy. Retinal detachment may occur after subretinal injection of stem cells. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy may develop in these patients, but the visual acuity may return to baseline after retinal reattachment. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2016;47:600-601.].