Clinical observation of sclera buckle and vitrectomy treating different stages of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy associated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Abstract

Objective To observe the outcome of scleral buckle and vitrectomy for familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) associated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with different stages. Methods Twenty eyes in 19 patients were included in this study. All the eyes were staged according to the staging system of FEVR. There are 7 eyes at stage 3A, 4 eyes at stage 4A, 6 eyes at stage 4B, and 3 eyes at stage 5. According to classification of retinal detachment (RD) with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), PVR B was in 5 eyes, PVR C1 in 2 eyes, PVR C2 in 3 eyes, PVR C3 in 7 eyes, PVR D1 in 3eyes. Retinal holes responsible for the RD could be found in every case. Scleral buckle or vitrectomy were chosen according to FEVR staging, PVR classification, location of retinal breaks, extent of RD.Ten eyes (stage 3A in 7 eyes, stage 4A in 3 eyes; PVR B in 5 eyes, PVR C1 in 2 eyes, PVR C2 in 3 eyes) were undergone scleral buckle, the mean preoperative minimum resolution angle in logarithmic (logMAR) best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) is 0.60±0.32.Ten eyes (stage 4A in 1 eyes, stage 4B in 6 eyes, stage 5 in 3 eyes; PVR C2 in 1 eyes, PVR C3 in 6 eyes, PVR D1 in 3 eyes) were undergone vitrectomy, the mean preoperative logMAR BCVA is 1.81±0.53. The mean follow up was(20.20±7.25) months, range 3 to 30 months. Surgical outcome were estimated by the average number of operation, reattachment of retina and BCVA. Results Final retinal attachment was obtained in 100% of all 20 eyes. The mean postoperative logMAR BCVA of scleral buckle group (0.34±0.32) is improved than preoperative BCVA, the difference wan statistically significant (t=2.932, P=0.017). The mean postoperative logMAR BCVA of vitrectomy group (1.42±0.64) is not changed compare with preoperative BCVA (t=1.812, P=0.103). The mean number of operation of scleral buckle group (1.10±0.32) is less than vitrectomy group′s (2.20±0.42), the difference wan statistically significant (t=6.588, P=0.000). Conclusions Among the patients whose FEVR staging is less than 4A and PVR classification is less than C3, epiretinal membranes or subretinal membranes appears mild, and scleral buckle can achieve high success rate with less number of operations, and the BCVA is improved in most of the cases. For the patients whose FEVR staging is more than 4B and PVR classification is more than C3, proliferative vitreoretinopathy seems to be serious, retina can be effectively reattached via vitrectomy, however, the number of operations required is multiple, and the BCVA is probably unimproved after operation. Key words: Retinal detachment/surgery; Scleral buckling; Vitreoretinal surgery; Retinal diseases/congenital