Possible Benefits of Triamcinolone-Assisted Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Retinal Diseases

Abstract

To study the advantages and complications of triamcinolone acetonide (TA)–assisted pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for various retinal diseases. This report is an interventional case series and nonrandomized study. One hundred seventy-seven eyes from 158 patients underwent PPV with or without TA. Group TA(+) consisted of 94 eyes and group TA(−) consisted of 83 eyes. The improvement in vision and postoperative complications were prospectively studied. Sixty-two percent of the eyes in group TA(+) and 49% of the eyes in group TA(−) had improved vision after surgery (P = 0.34). Twelve eyes in group TA(+) and 12 eyes in group TA(−) had an intraocular pressure higher than 21 mmHg after the operation, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.63). Four eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy in group TA(+) and five eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy in group TA(−) needed an additional filtering surgery. Group TA(+) (five eyes) had a lower incidence (P = 0.041) of reoperation caused by preretinal fibrous membrane formation than group TA(−) (13 eyes). No apparent corneal disorder or infectious signs were found in any eyes. Triamcinolone acetonide–assisted PPV appears to be potentially useful to reduce the incidence of reoperation owing to preretinal fibrosis with no serious complications.