title: Pars plana vitrectomy in the treatment of severe complicated toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the anatomic and functional results of pars plana vitrectomy performed in severe complicated toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients, 2 women and 1 man aged 57, 22, and 57 years, are presented. The first patient was under immunosuppressive therapy for dermatomyositis and underwent diagnostic/therapeutic vitrectomy for severe toxoplasmic panuveitis with dense vitritis. The other 2 patients underwent vitrectomy for macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment that developed after severe toxoplasmic panuveitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative visual acuity was hand movement for the first 2 patients and 20/400 for the third. All patients received pars plana vitrectomy with epiretinal membrane peeling, laser photocoagulation, and SF6 gas tamponade. The second and third patients needed 5 and 3 additional operations, respectively, including extensive retinotomies and silicone-oil tamponade, for recurrent retinal detachment due to proliferative vitreoretinopathy. At the end of the follow-up period (11, 5, and 1 year, respectively), the retina was attached and visual acuity was 20/30 for the first patient but counting fingers for the other 2 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe panuveitis and/or recurrent retinal detachment may develop in some cases of ocular toxoplasmosis, compromising the visual prognosis. Retinal detachment due to toxoplasmosis is generally complex, and long-acting tamponade with silicone oil should be contemplated for anatomic retinal reattachment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. constantin.pournaras@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Domniki N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
authors.forename: Ioannis K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Petropoulos
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mangioris
authors.forename: Nikolaos M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Pharmakakis
authors.forename: Constantin J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pournaras
mesh_terms: D002825:Chorioretinitis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015864:Panuveitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012827:Silicone Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014126:Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012827:Silicone Oils; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride