25-GAUGE PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY AND SF6 GAS FOR THE REPAIR OF PRIMARY INFERIOR RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT.

Abstract

To compare anatomical and functional outcomes of 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and sulfur hexafluoride gas between inferior and superior rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). A retrospective cohort study of patients with RRD who underwent 25-gauge PPV. Group A consisted of patients with an identified inferior retinal break (4-8 o'clock hours). Group B consisted of patients with an identified superior retinal break. Overall, 59 eyes of 59 patients with a mean age of 60.0 ± 12.3 years were included, with 57.6% being males; 25 with inferior breaks (Group A) and 34 with superior breaks (Group B). The mean follow-up time was 4 months (range 2-16 months). Single-surgery anatomical success was achieved in 96% (24/25) of Group A and 82.4% (28/34) of Group B patients (P = 0.22) with final anatomical success achieved in all cases. In regression analysis, break location (superior versus inferior) did not significantly account for the variation in single-surgery success or visual outcomes. Favorable results were achieved using 25-gauge vitrectomy and sulfur hexafluoride gas for primary RRD treatment. No differences in anatomical and functional success rates were observed between inferior and superior retinal break-associated RRD.