Spontaneous Resolution of Tractional Retinal Detachment in a Type II Diabetic Patient

Antivascular Endothelial Growth Factor Injections for the Chronic Treatment of Macula-off, Fovea-on Diabetic Tractional Retinal Detachment With Vitreous Hemorrhage

Purpose: To evaluate the use of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) as treatment for tractional retinal detachments (TRDs) involving the macula. Methods: A case report was evaluated. Results: A 40-year-old man with a medical history notable for congenital heart disease and proliferative diabetic retinopathy presented with decreased vision. Surgery was not feasible for medical reasons, and panretinal photocoagulation was limited by retinal traction and hemorrhage. Despite initial progression of bilateral macula-off, foveal-on TRDs, the patient received intravitreal (IVT) bevacizumab regularly every 8 to 12 weeks. After initial improvement, both eyes remained anatomically stable with attached foveas over more than 1.5 years of follow-up. Conclusions: In cases in which surgery is not possible, macula-involving TRDs with neovascularization can be managed successfully with repeated IVT anti-VEGF injection monotherapy.

Long-Standing Macula-Involving Diabetic Tractional Retinal Detachments with Good Visual Acuity: How Should We Manage These Patients?

Purpose

We assess the merits of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in subjects with good visual acuity (VA) and a chronic macula-involving tractional retinal detachment (TRD) secondary to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods

A retrospective review of medical records was undertaken. Subjects were divided into 1) a Study Group of subjects who underwent prompt PPV and 2) a Control Group of subjects in which PPV was deferred in favor of less invasive treatment options or observations. Both study and control subjects had a baseline Snellen VA of ≥20/50 and a PDR-associated macula-involving TRD of >6 months duration with a minimum follow-up of 12-months.

Results

There were 58 patients analyzed over an average follow-up period of 27.6 (±7.1) months. The change in VA was similar in the Study Group compared to the Control Group (p=0.94) with both groups losing about three lines of VA during the study period (-0.30 ±0.52 logMAR). Although the rates of maintaining ≥20/200 Snellen VA and ≥20/50 Snellen VA were similar in the Study Group compared to the Control Group (p=0.55 and p=0.28, respectively), the Study Group had more subjects gaining ≥2 lines of VA during the study period (p=0.002).

Conclusion

Patients presenting with good VA and a PDR-associated macula-involving TRD of >6 months were more likely to gain ≥2 lines of VA when PPV was performed at baseline compared to PPV deferral until further deterioration occurred.