Pars plana vitrectomy in the management of complications of proliferative sickle retinopathy

J. S. Pulido, H. W. Flynn Jr, J. G. Clarkson and G. W. Blankenship
Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33136.

Ten patients (11 eyes) with sickle-C hemoglobinopathy with complications of proliferative sickle retinopathy were treated using pars plana vitrectomy with or without the use of a scleral buckle. Postoperative visual acuity was improved in ten of 11 cases. Three cases of retinal detachment were managed by internal vitreoretinal techniques alone without the use of a scleral buckle. Although exchange transfusions were used in only five of the 11 cases, no cases of recognized anterior segment ischemia occurred during the postoperative course of these patients. Because of exchange transfusion risks and awareness of intraoperative and postoperative measures to reduce this complication, the use of exchange transfusions probably should be discontinued as prophylaxis for vitreoretinal surgery in these patients.