Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Vitreoretinal Complications of Behçet Uveitis

Abstract

Purpose. To evaluate the role of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for the treatment of vitreoretinal complications of ocular Behçet disease (BD). Methods. Retrospective review of the medical records of all patients who underwent PPV for vitreoretinal complications of Behçet uveitis in the Ophthalmology Department of the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, from January 1994 until December 2011. Preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuities (BCVA), ocular findings, treatments, surgical indications, and outcomes were evaluated in all patients. Results. Twelve patients (14 eyes) were included in the study. Indications for PPV were the following: vitreous hemorrhage in 4 eyes (28.5%), persistent vitreous opacities in 3 eyes (21.4%), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in 2 eyes (14.3%), macular hole in 2 eyes (14.3%), persistent cystoid macular edema in 2 eyes (14.3%), and combined tractional and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in 1 eye (7.1%). At last examination (median follow-up 105 months, range 6-209 months), BCVA increased 3 Snellen lines or more in 6 eyes (42.9%). Immunosuppressive treatment could be reduced in 5 patients (41.6%). No serious ocular inflammatory episodes presented during the follow-up in those operated patients. Conclusions. In this retrospective series with long-term follow-up, PPV can treat secondary vitreoretinal complications of Behçet uveitis, restoring or stabilizing vision without major adverse events.