[Postoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment associated with stage B preoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy: comparative results of trans-scleral retinopexy with diode laser or trans-pupillary retinopexy with argon laser].

Purpose: To compare the rate of severe postoperative PVR in primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RD) associated with preoperative grade B PVR and managed either with transpupillary Argon laser photocoagulation or transscleral Diode laser photocoagulation.

Material And Methods: We evaluated 72 primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment associated with preoperative grade B PVR (retinal tears with curled posterior edges), referred before any failed attempt to reattach the retina. Eleven RD were due to giant tear. The retinopexy was performed using transpupillary Argon laser. photocoagulation in 46 eyes, and transscleral Diode laser photocoagulation in 26 eyes. Follow up was 6 to 30 months. Statistical analysis used Chi-square test, and variance analysis.

Results: The overall rate of postoperative PVR was 6.9% (5/72 eyes). The rate of postoperative PVR was 6.5% (3/46) in eyes managed with Argon laser photocoagulation and 7.7% (2/26) in eyes managed with Diode laser photocoagulation (p > 0.05). The rate of postoperative PVR in RD due to horseshoe tears was 5.4% (2/37) in eyes managed with Argon laser and 8.3% (2/24) in eyes treated with Diode laser (p > 0.05). The rate of postoperative PVR in giant tear was 11.1% (1/9) in eyes managed with Argon laser photocoagulation and 0% (0/2) in eyes managed with Diode laser photocoagulation (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: In the present series the rate of postoperative PVR was not influenced by the method of photocoagulation (transpupillary Argon laser or transscleral Diode laser). Therefore each technique can be used as the retinopexy method in primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment associated with preoperative grade B PVR.