Pars Plana Vitrectomy with and without Supplemental Scleral Buckle for the Repair of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: A Meta-analysis

TOPIC

It is unclear whether there are differences in safety and efficacy between pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) alone and PPV with a supplemental scleral buckle (SB; PPV-SB) for the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This meta-analysis aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of these surgical procedures.

METHODS

In this meta-analysis, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched (January 2000-June 2021). The primary outcome was the final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), whereas the secondary outcomes were reattachment rates and complications. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions tool for nonrandomized studies.

RESULTS

This study included 15 661 eyes from 38 studies (32 observational studies and 6 RCTs). The median follow-up duration was 6 months. The final BCVA was similar between PPV and PPV-SB (weighted mean difference [WMD], -0.03 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [-0.14 to 0.07]; P = 0.55). There was a significant difference in the single-operation success rate (SOSR) (88.2% versus 86.3%; relative risk [RR], 0.97 [0.95-1.00]; P = 0.03), favoring PPV-SB; however, there was no significant difference in the final reattachment rate (RR, 1.00 [0.99-1.01]; P = 0.56). Pars plana vitrectomy required a significantly higher number of operations to achieve final anatomical reattachment (WMD, 0.13 [0.02-0.24]; P = 0.02). In terms of complications, PPV was significantly less likely to be associated with macular edema (RR, 0.47 [0.25-0.88]; P = 0.02) and epiretinal membrane formation (RR, 0.70 [0.52-0.94]; P = 0.02), but these differences were no longer significant in studies published after 2010 or in RCTs. Significant proliferative vitreoretinopathy, lens status, and macular attachment status did not mediate differences in these effects.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences in the final visual acuity outcomes between PPV and PPV-SB. Pars plana vitrectomy with supplemental SB was associated with a greater SOSR than standalone PPV, although the magnitude of the effect was small, with a high number needed to treat. The final reattachment rate was similar. In recent studies and in RCTs, the risk of complications was similar between the procedures.

Influence of the scleral indentation technique on the re-detachment rate following retinal detachment surgery

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine whether the choice of scleral indentation technique during primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgery has an influence on the risk of re-detachment.

Methods

We included retrospectively 154 eyes with a primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment treated in the Eye Clinic Sulzbach/Saar Germany, who were operated on by two experienced surgeons using the same basic surgical setup. Surgeon A performed an external 360° indentation, shaved the vitreous base using the light pipe cap, and used the operating microscope (opm) for direct visualization. Surgeon B performed an external 360° indentation, shaved the vitreous base using a simple indentor, and used an endoillumination (light pipe) with the opm and a handheld widefield lens for direct visualization.

Results

Comparing both indentation procedures, 15.66% (13/83) of patients operated on by surgeon A and 9.86% (7/71) of patients operated on by surgeon B had a retinal re-detachment within a follow-up period of 6 months (adj. p = 0.64, two-proportion Z-test).

Conclusion

The rate of retinal re-detachment could be influenced by the indentation technique at the end of surgery favoring external indentation and internal visualization with an endoilluminator (chandelier light). We attribute this to the better visualization of the vitreous base facilitated by endoillumination. However, many variables play a role in the development of retinal re-detachment, requiring further studies with a larger number of patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40942-022-00362-8.

What we already know:

Scleral indentation is widely recognized as an important step in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgery via pars-plana vitrectomy.

There are several surgical techniques for scleral indentation, however the procedures are neither standardized, nor have they ever been compared to one another to the best of our knowledge.

What this study adds:

This study shows that the rate of retinal re-detachment could be influenced by the indentation technique at the end of surgery favoring external indentation and internal visualization with an endoilluminator (chandelier light).

We attribute this to the better visualization of the vitreous base facilitated by endoillumination.

RETINAL DETACHMENT WITH INFERIOR RETINAL BREAKS: Primary Vitrectomy Versus Vitrectomy With Scleral Buckle (PRO Study Report No. 9)

INTRODUCTION

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with inferior retinal breaks are believed to have a higher risk of recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. This study compared anatomic and visual outcomes between primary pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and combination PPV with scleral buckle (PPV/SB) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with inferior retinal breaks.

METHODS

This is an analysis of the Primary Retinal Detachment Outcomes study, a multi-institutional cohort study of consecutive primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgeries from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015. The primary outcome was single-surgery success rate. Only eyes with inferior retinal breaks (one break in the detached retina between five and seven o'clock) were included.

RESULTS

There were 238 eyes that met the inclusion criteria, 95 (40%) of which underwent primary PPV and 163 (60%) that underwent combined PPV/SB. The single-surgery success rate was 76.8% for PPV and 87.4% for PPV/SB (P = 0.0355). This remained significant on multivariate analysis (P = 0.01). Subgroup analysis showed that a superior single-surgery success rate of PPV/SB was especially noted in phakic eyes (85.2% vs. 68.6%; P = 0.0464).

CONCLUSION

Retinal detachment with inferior retinal breaks had a higher single-surgery success rate if treated with PPV/SB compared with PPV alone, particularly in phakic eyes.

Outcomes of Pars Plana Vitrectomy Alone versus Combined Scleral Buckling plus Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Primary Retinal Detachment

PURPOSE

We compared the outcomes of primary uncomplicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair using pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) alone versus combined scleral buckling plus PPV (SB+PPV).

DESIGN

Retrospective, observational study.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with primary RRD who underwent PPV or SB+PPV from June 1, 2014, through December 31, 2017.

METHODS

We performed a single-institution, retrospective, observational study of 488 consecutive patients with primary RRD repaired via PPV alone or SB+PPV and gas tamponade. We excluded patients younger than 18 years and those with advanced proliferative vitreoretinopathy, giant retinal tear, trauma, or secondary forms of RRD. We performed logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression analyses to identify potential risk factors associated with a retinal redetachment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Single-operation anatomic success (SOAS), defined as adequate retinal reattachment achieved with only 1 procedure.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up interval was 14.3 months. Single-operation anatomic success and final anatomic success were achieved in 425 eyes (87.1%) and 487 eyes (99.8%), respectively. Single-operation anatomic success was achieved in 90 of 111 eyes (81.1%) with PPV alone compared with 345 of 374 eyes (92.2%) with SB+PPV (P = 0.0010). Scleral buckling plus PPV showed greater SOAS than PPV alone in phakic eyes (P < 0.0001), but not in eyes with a posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL). Retinal redetachments occurred on average at 1.5 and 9 months after the initial surgery. Significant best-corrected visual acuity improvement was associated with SOAS (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Scleral buckling plus PPV resulted in greater SOAS outcomes than PPV alone for primary RRD repair. Phakic eyes achieved greater surgical success with SB+PPV, whereas eyes with a PCIOL achieved similar results with both methods. Most retinal redetachments occurred within the initial postoperative 3-month period. Single-operation anatomic success was associated with statistically significant visual improvement.

Primary Retinal Detachment Outcomes Study: Pseudophakic Retinal Detachment Outcomes: Primary Retinal Detachment Outcomes Study Report Number 3

PURPOSE

This study evaluates outcomes of comparable pseudophakic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) or PPV with scleral buckle (PPV-SB).

DESIGN

Multicenter, retrospective, interventional cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

Data were gathered from patients from multiple retina practices in the United States with RRD in 2015.

METHODS

A large detailed database was generated. Pseudophakic patients with RRD managed with PPV or PPV-SB were analyzed for anatomic and visual outcomes. Eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy, giant retinal tears, previous invasive glaucoma surgery, and ≤90 days of follow-up were excluded from outcomes analysis. Single surgery anatomic success (SSAS) was defined as retinal attachment without ongoing tamponade and with no other RRD surgery within 90 days.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Single surgery anatomic success and final Snellen visual acuity (VA).

RESULTS

A total of 1158 of 2620 eyes (44%) with primary RRD were pseudophakic. A total of 1018 eyes had greater than 90 days of follow-up. Eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy, previous glaucoma surgery, and giant retinal tears were excluded, leaving 893 pseudophakic eyes eligible for outcome analysis. A total of 461 (52%) were right eyes. A total of 606 patients (67%) were male, with a mean age of 65±11 years. Pars plana vitrectomy and PPV-SB as the first procedure were performed on 684 eyes (77%) and 209 eyes (23%), respectively. The mean follow-up was 388±161 days, and overall SSAS was achieved in 770 eyes (86%). Single surgery anatomic success was 84% (577/684) for PPV and 92% (193/209) for PPV-SB. The difference in SSAS between types of treatment was significant (P = 0.009). In eyes with macula-on RRD, SSAS was 88% in eyes treated with PPV and 100% in eyes treated with PPV-SB (P = 0.0088). In eyes with macula-off RRD, SSAS was 81% in eyes treated with PPV and 89% in eyes treated with PPV-SB (P = 0.029). Single surgery anatomic success was greater for PPV-SB than PPV for inferior (96% vs. 82%) and superior (90% vs. 82%) detachments. Mean final VA was similar for PPV (20/47) and PPV-SB (20/46; P = 0.805).

CONCLUSIONS

In pseudophakic RRDs, SSAS was better in patients treated with PPV-SB compared with PPV alone, whereas visual outcomes were similar for both groups.

Scleral Buckling under a Slit-lamp Illumination System with a Contact Wide-angle Viewing Lens Compared with an Indirect Ophthalmoscope

PURPOSE

To investigate the outcomes of scleral buckling surgery performed under a slit-lamp illumination system (Visulux) with a contact wide-angle viewing lens (Mini Quad) in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and to compare these outcomes with those of surgery performed under an indirect ophthalmoscope.

METHODS

By retrospective review of electronic medical records, patients with RRD who had undergone scleral buckling surgery were identified. Scleral buckling surgeries were performed with two illumination instruments, a slit-lamp (SL group) and an indirect ophthalmoscope (IO group). Subretinal fluid drainage, cryopexy, and intravitreal gas injection were performed optionally. At 6 months after surgery, anatomical and functional outcomes were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Operation time was also compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Of the 45 total patients (45 eyes), 28 were included in the SL group, and 17 were included in the IO group. In the SL and IO groups, the primary anatomical success rate was 89.3% and 88.2%, respectively (p = 0.92). The logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution change, which reflects improvement in best-corrected visual acuity after surgery, was -0.19 ± 0.38 in the SL group and -0.21 ± 0.63 in the IO group; this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.91). The mean operation time was significantly shorter in the SL group (78.9 ± 11.8 minutes) than in the IO group (100.0 ± 13.9 minutes, p < 0.001), especially for patients who underwent additional procedures such as subretinal fluid drainage and cryopexy (81.4 ± 12.9 and 103.5 ± 12.3 minutes, respectively, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Scleral buckling surgery performed under a slit-lamp illumination system yielded a similar anatomical success rate and similar functional improvement in RRD compared with surgery performed under an indirect ophthalmoscope. The slit-lamp system could save time, especially in bullous RRD, which requires additional subretinal fluid drainage.

Minimally invasive curved-micro-drainer (CMD) capable of innocuous drainage of subretinal fluid for the treatment of retinal detachment

Retinal detachment is a serious vision threatening disease. Current consensus for the treatment of retinal detachment is to reattach the retina onto the choroid layer by drainage of accumulated subretinal fluid. Although several surgical methods have been developed, no satisfactory visual outcome has been obtained without surgical complications such as unintended puncture and hemorrhage of the retina and choroid tissue. In this study, we developed a novel Curved-Micro-Drainer (CMD) for the innocuous drainage of subretinal fluid. It is a curved structure with a 15° beveled tip that is 5 mm in length, with an 80 μm inner diameter and a 100 μm outer diameter. This high inner-to-outer diameter ratio of CMD with a 100 μm outer diameter allows efficient drainage of highly viscous subretinal fluid in a minimally invasive manner. In addition, the curved structure precisely matches the spherical ocular structure, which facilitates the CMD insertion into the subretinal space without choroid tissue damage. We demonstrate that the optimized CMD allows for the innocuous drainage of the viscous subretinal fluid from the porcine eye, whereas the traditional hypodermic needle (31-gauge) induces severe retinal and choroid damage. CMD can overcome a critical safety issue and is a potential alternative to conventional surgical interventions for the innocuous drainage of subretinal fluid.