Long-term Results of a Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Complications of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Background and Purpose: A pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) is a very important method for the treatment of severe complications of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. This report reviews our last 8 years of experience in using PPV for treating complications of diabetic retinopathy, with the purpose of delineating the visual outcomes and complications of PPV after 6, 12, 18, and 24months of follow-up. Methods: The records of 233 eyes (of 192 patients) with proliferative diabetic retinopathy that had undergone pars plana vitrectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Postoperative best-corrected visual acuity improved or was maintained in 150 of 169 (88.8%), 109 of 128 (85.1%), 91 of 108 (84.3%), and 60 of 77 (77.9%) eyes at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of follow-up, respectively. In the 77 eyes that completed 24months of follow-up after surgery, 23 eyes (30%) had a best-corrected vision of ＜ 1/60, 31 eyes (40%) had vision of 1/60~6/60, and 23 eyes (30%) had vision of 6/30, which was significantly better than the preoperative vision (p＜0.01, Chi-squared test). The major postoperative complications included cataracts (42.0%), vitreous hemorrhage (23.2%), neovascular glaucoma (8.2%), choroidal detachment (7.7%), maculopathy (3.9%), tractional retinal detachment (3.0%), and epiretinal membrane (3.0%). Conclusions: A pars plana vitrectomy is an effective method for improving the visual outcomes of patients with complications of severe diabetic retinopathy. The favorable results of this procedure can be maintained for a period of up to 2 years.