Outcome of surgery after macula-off retinal detachment - results from MUSTARD, one of the largest databases on buckling surgery in Europe.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the anatomical success rate of scleral buckling surgery in the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and to evaluate the differences in outcome between patients suffering macula-off retinal detachment and those without a macular involvement.


METHODS
As a retrospective interventional case series, Munster Study on Therapy Achievements in Retinal Detachment (MUSTARD) is one of the largest ever established of retinal detachment patients and their outcome after buckling surgery, with 4325 patients who underwent surgery between 1980 and 2001. In 53.94% (n = 2134) of 3956 patients with nontraumatic retinal detachment, the macula was involved. The main outcome measure was the achievement of dry anatomical attachment of the retina.


RESULTS
The success rate in patients with macula-off retinal detachment is 80.46% and thus 7.78% lower (p < 0.01) than that in those patients with their macula intact whose success rate amounted to 88.24%. The overall success rate of all 4325 MUSTARD patients was 83.98%.


CONCLUSIONS
Scleral buckling is an established and mostly successful method for the treatment of retinal detachment. As our case series has demonstrated, even eyes with macula-off can be treated successfully by this procedure, thereby avoiding the complications of primary vitrectomy.
Germany Eye Hospital University of Münster, Münster, Germany. uthelenul@t-online.de
Ulrich
U
Thelen
Susanne
S
Amler
Nani
N
Osada
Heinrich
H
Gerding
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003452:Cryosurgery; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012591:Scleral Buckling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy; D055815:Young Adult