PREDICTING VISUAL OUTCOMES OF SECOND EYE VITRECTOMY FOR PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Bilateral vitrectomy in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy-characteristics and surgical outcomes

PURPOSE

Comparing characteristics and outcomes of patients with bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) undergoing concurrent and sequential vitrectomy.

METHODS

Patients having bilateral vitrectomy were classified into concurrent (requiring bilateral surgery simultaneously) and sequential (indicating vitrectomy in one eye later) groups. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared, and correlation between the first and second-operated eyes was analyzed.

RESULTS

One hundred eight and 126 eyes were in the concurrent and sequential groups, respectively. The sequential group was older (50 vs. 45 years, P = 0.017), had less retinal detachment (54 vs. 77%, P < 0.001), and better visual outcomes (0.79 vs. 1.30, P = 0.021), especially the second-operated eyes. The concurrent group had weaker correlations of disease severity (phi coefficient: 0.36 vs. 0.61) and post-operative visual acuity (r: 0.12 vs. 0.34) between the first- and second-operated eyes than the sequential group. Prior intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (odds ratio [OR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15-0.86, P = 0.025) predicted better outcomes, while post-operative neovascular glaucoma predicted worse outcomes (OR 6.5, 95% CI 1.7-27.9, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

PDR patients requiring surgery concurrently were younger and had more severe diseases and worse outcomes. However, poor outcomes in the first eye did not predict similar outcomes in the second eye.

Surgical strategy and outcome in patients with bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the current surgery strategies for bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), as well as the surgical outcomes of patients with bilateral PDR who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV).

MATERIALS

Patients undergoing bilateral vitrectomy for PDR from January 2019 to December 2020 at The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were enrolled. Clinical data were collected from the electronic medical records. Factors associated with the time interval between the surgeries on two eyes and postoperative visual outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

In total, 152 patients with bilateral PDR who underwent bilateral PPV were included in this analysis. Mean age was 53.7 ± 11.4 years. Compared with second-surgery eyes, 60.5% of first-surgery eyes had worse preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). The overall PPV time (median, quartile range) between first and second surgeries eye was 1.40 (0.70, 3.15) months. Multivariate analysis showed that the preoperative BCVA of the second-surgery eye had a significant effect on the inter-surgery time interval (P = 0.048). First-surgery eyes had greater vision improvement than second-surgery eyes (Difference of the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [LogMAR] BCVA: - 1.00 [- 1.48, - 0.12] versus 0.00 [- 1.30, 0.00], respectively, P < 0.001), especially when eyes with poorer BCVA underwent PPV first (- 1.15 [- 1.87, - 0.54] versus 0.00 [- 0.70, 0.00], respectively, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Visual acuity is a significant factor that influences surgical strategies, including both surgery order and interval, for patients with bilateral PDR. The eyes operated upon first show more vision improvement due to prompt surgery.

Safety and effectiveness of pre-emptive diabetic vitrectomy in patients with severe, non-fibrotic retinal neovascularisation despite panretinal photocoagulation

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the safety and effectiveness of pre-emptive vitrectomy in eyes with severe non-fibrotic proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS

A multi-centre, retrospective, observational study. Pre-emptive vitrectomy was performed in non-fibrotic diabetic eyes with a visual acuity (VA) of 20/50 or better, where there was extensive persistent neovascularisation despite prior panretinal photocoagulation, and where the fellow eye had established sight loss despite vitrectomy for tractional complications. The primary outcome measure was the VA at last visit.

RESULTS

Twenty patients were included. The mean age was 39 ± 14 years. Fifteen patients were Type 1 diabetic. The median baseline VA was 20/30 and remained stable at 20/28 at last visit (median follow-up period: 24 months). Eight eyes (40.0%) developed post-operative vitreous cavity haemorrhage; 4 of which required a vitreous cavity washout procedure. There were no post-operative retinal detachments. The index eye remained the significantly better eye at all time points bar one month post-surgery. Regression of retinopathy grading was observed in all eyes.

CONCLUSION

In this pilot study, we found no sight loss with pre-emptive diabetic vitrectomy. Better eye status was maintained in this high-risk group. Further study with larger number of patients and longer-term follow-up is indicated.

Prediction of Visual Outcomes After Diabetic Vitrectomy Using Clinical Factors From Common Data Warehouse

Purpose

We sought to analyze the visual outcome and systemic prognostic factors for diabetic vitrectomy and predicted outcomes using these factors.

Methods

This was a multicenter electronic medical records (EMRs) review study of 1504 eyes with type 2 diabetes that underwent vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy at 6 university hospitals. Demographics, laboratory results, intra-operative findings, and visual acuity (VA) values were analyzed and correlated with visual outcomes at 1 year after the vitrectomy. Prediction models for visual outcomes were obtained using machine learning.

Results

At 1 year, VA was 1.0 logarithm of minimal angle resolution (logMAR) or greater (poor visual outcome group) in 456 eyes (30%). Baseline visual acuity, duration of diabetes treatment, tractional membrane, silicone oil tamponade, smoking, and vitreous hemorrhage correlated with logMAR VA at 1 year (r = 0.450, −0.159, 0.221, 0.280, 0.067, and −0.105; all P ≤ 0.036). An ensemble decision tree model trained using all variables generated accuracy, specificity, F1 score (the harmonic means of which precision and sensitivity), and receiver-operating characteristic curve area under curve values of 0.77, 0.66, 0.85, and 0.84 for the prediction of poor visual outcomes at 1 year after vitrectomy.

Conclusions

Visual outcome after diabetic vitrectomy is associated with pre- and intra-operative findings and systemic factors. Poor visual outcome after diabetic vitrectomy was predictable using clinical factors. Intensive care in patients who are predicted to result in poor vision may limit vision loss resulting from type 2 diabetes.

Translational Relevance

This study demonstrates that a real world EMR big data could predict outcome after diabetic vitrectomy using clinical factors.

Evaluation of Retinal Detachment After Diabetic Vitrectomy: Causes and Ways of Management

Purpose

To assess the causes and the ways of management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) performed in diabetic patients with advanced diabetic eye disease.

Methods

Retrospective review of the records of the patients who had undergone PPV for complicated proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) was done. Cases with RRD after the PPV were analyzed in the study (n = 32). Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data of the patients were recorded. All patients were recruited for a final follow-up visit.

Results

This retrospective case-control study included 400 eyes of 345 patients. Prolonged surgical duration increased the risk of developing RRD (odds ratio = 1.6342, p = 0.0321). The presence of intraoperative retinal breaks increased the risk of developing postoperative RRD (odds ratio = 2.2308, p = 0.0380). Also, complex diabetic detachment that needed for bimanual dissection of the membranes during surgery were associated with a higher risk of developing postoperative RRD (odds ratio = 2.7311, p = 0.0401).

Conclusion

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment following diabetic vitrectomy needs a further vitrectomy for the management and usually has poor visual outcome. Prolonged surgical duration, the presence of intraoperative retinal breaks, and the need for bimanual dissection of the membranes (major complex cases) during surgery were associated with higher risk of developing RRD postoperatively.

Surgical management of diabetic tractional retinal detachments

Tractional retinal detachment is an end-stage form of diabetic retinopathy that occurs when contractile forces in the vitreous and neovascular tissue lead to the detachment of the neurosensory retina. We review the literature related to the management of this disease. Preoperative planning includes appropriate patient selection, diagnostic and prognostic imaging, and medical optimization with reduction of systemic risk factors. Use of antivascular endothelial growth factor for preoperative treatment has had significant benefits for tractional retinal detachment repair in improving surgical efficiency and outcomes. Advances in microsurgical instrumentation are discussed, with attention to small-gauge vitrectomy with improved flow dynamics, viewing strategies, and lighting allowing bimanual surgery. Special emphasis is placed on bimanual surgical technique, choice of tamponade, and the avoidance of iatrogenic damage. Complications and special considerations are further explored. Based on our compilation of relevant literature, we propose a surgical algorithm for the management of these complex patients.