Pars plana vitrectomy in the treatment of severe complicated toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
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.
Papadopoulou
Domniki N
DN
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. constantin.pournaras@hcuge.ch
Petropoulos
Ioannis K
IK
Mangioris
George
G
Pharmakakis
Nikolaos M
NM
Pournaras
Constantin J
CJ
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
D012827:Silicone Oils; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride