Long-term clinical outcomes and therapeutic benefits of triamcinolone-assisted pars plana vitrectomy for proliferative vitreoretinopathy: A case study

PURPOSE. To investigate intraoperative visibility and long-term clinical outcome following triamcinolone acetonide (TA)-assisted pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). METHODS. A retrospective interventional noncomparative clinical study was carried out on 21 eyes from 21 patients with more than grade C2 PVR, all of whom underwent TA-assisted PPV. Two of the specimens were observed with an electron microscope. After treatment, outcome measures, including changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation, corneal pathology, and occurrence of endophthalmitis, were recorded. Patient follow-up time was >36 months (mean ± standard deviation = 47.3 ± 6.7 months). RESULTS. TA improved the intraoperative visualization of the epiretinal membrane (ERM), allowing it to be easily removed together with the partially internal limiting membrane (ILM) using microforceps. The excised tissue consisted of proliferative cells and an extracellular matrix underlying the ILM. After the operation, 71.4% of the eyes had improved BCVA. Three of the eyes showed sustained IOP elevation (14.3%); two of these cases were controlled by the administration of eyedrops, while the third required filtering surgery. In two cases, an absorption delay of the TA granule on the retinal surface was observed. One eye developed corneal stromal opacity. No other severe complications occurred during the observation period. CONCLUSIONS. TA-assisted PPV offers improved visualization during the surgical management of PVR, and allows surgeons to excise the ERM safely and effectively without the risk of serious complications.