[Effectiveness of preoperative panretinal photocoagulation in severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy].

PURPOSE: To evaluate correlations between the surgical outcomes, either presence or absence of preoperative panretinal photocoagulation and types of retinal detachment in patients undergoing vitrectomy for severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 67 eyes that underwent vitrectomy for severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy accompanied by either macular tractinal retinal detachment or combined tractinal and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. RESULTS: The postoperative visual acuity (p < 0.05) of eyes with preoperative panretinal photocoagulation (PRPC) showed significant improvement. There was a higher success rate of retinal attachment (p < 0.05) than in those without PRPC. There was no significant difference in surgical outcome amang the types of retinal detachment. CONCLUSION: Preoperative panretinal photocoagulation for severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy improves surgical success.