Is gas/air tamponade essential for eyes with small peripheral retinal breaks without detachment during vitrectomy?

• Published in: BMC ophthalmology Vol. 22; no. 1; p. 186
• Main Authors: Lee, Kyung Ho, Chung, Yoo-Ri, Yeo, Suji, Lee, Kihwang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 22.04.2022; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Analysis; Cataracts; Degeneration; Diabetic retinopathy; Eye; Eye surgery; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Investigations; Laser photocoagulation; Lasers; Medical records; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Ophthalmology; Patients; Retina; Retinal break; Retinal Degeneration - surgery; Retinal detachment; Retinal Detachment - etiology; Retinal Detachment - surgery; Retinal Perforations - complications; Retinal Perforations - surgery; Retrospective Studies; Surgeons; Tamponade; Tears; Visual Acuity; Vitrectomy; Vitrectomy - adverse effects; Germany; Vitrectomy; Laser photocoagulation; Retinal break; Tamponade
• ISSN: 1471-2415; 1471-2415
• DOI: 10.1186/s12886-022-02401-2

To investigate the safety of vitrectomy with laser photocoagulation in eyes with small peripheral retinal breaks without air or gas tamponade. Among patients who underwent vitrectomy for various retinal disorders, those with small peripheral retinal breaks treated by laser photocoagulation without air or gas tamponade were included in this study. Their medical records were assessed retrospectively, and we investigated the characteristics of small peripheral retinal breaks and the incidence of postoperative retinal detachment (RD). Thirty-one eyes of 31 patients who presented with small peripheral retinal breaks requiring endolaser photocoagulation during vitrectomy were included in this analysis. There were two cases of iatrogenic retinal breaks that occurred during vitrectomy, while others were preexisting lesions, including retinal tears, atrophic retinal holes, and retinal holes with lattice degeneration. There were no cases of RD during the follow-up period of at least 6 months. Adequate laser treatment without gas or air tamponade may be sufficient during vitrectomy in cases with small peripheral retinal breaks without concurrent RD, along with complete removal of vitreoretinal traction.