Use of perfluorocarbon liquid during vitrectomy for severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy

AIM: To evaluate the value of using perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) during vitrectomy in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: The surgical records of eyes with PDR (291 eyes of 228 patients) that underwent vitrectomy in the vitreoretinal service of Osaka Medical College (April 1999 to October 2001) were reviewed. From these, 18 eyes of 15 patients had PFCL used during vitrectomy, and the preoperative and postoperative findings of these eyes were analysed. RESULTS: All of the 18 eyes had advanced PDR with tractional and/or rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. PFCL enabled easier flattening of the retinal folds and effective endophotocoagulation. In two cases, PFCL was used to flatten a bullous retinal detachment that developed when a tight vitreoretinal adhesion was loosened. In two other cases with combined traction/rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, PFCL was used to tamponade the detached retina which then allowed successful membrane dissection. Anatomical success was obtained in 16 of the 18 cases (mean follow up time 13.3 months) with visual acuity of 20/200 or better in nine eyes (50%). CONCLUSIONS: PFCL is considered to be a useful adjunct during vitrectomy for the treatment of severe PDR.