Pars plana vitrectomy and laser photocoagulation of vasoproliferative tumors: a new surgical approach to sight-threatening complications

Abstract

ABSTRACT Retinal vasoproliferative tumor is a rare disease associated with several sight-threatening complications. The optimum management of retinal vasoproliferative tumor is unknown and the need of surgery arises when there is diagnostic uncertainty or sight-threatening complications, such as 23G pars plana vitrectomy, perfluorooctane retinal flattening, fluid drainage through a peripheral retinotomy, fluid-air exchange, laser photocoagulation of the retinal vasoproliferative tumor, and 12.5% C3F8 tamponade. We described two cases of retinal vasoproliferative tumor with exudative retinal detachment threatening the macula, treated with the technique described above. Both eyes had complete tumor resolution, vanishing of lipid exudation, and remained stable in over three years of follow-up. Exudative retinal detachment can be a sight threatening complication of retinal vasoproliferative tumor. A surgical approach that does not involve the risks of tumor resection can provide successful treatment of the disease.

Keywords

• Vitrectomy
• Retinal neoplasms
• Retinal neovascularization
• Rare diseases
• Retinal detachment
• Light coagulation