Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment associated with massive spontaneous suprachoroidal hemorrhage and prognosis of pars plana vitrectomy.

AIM To describe the clinical characters of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) associated with massive spontaneous suprachoroidal hemorrhage (SSCH). To evaluate optimal timing and prognosis of pars plana vitrectomy. METHODS A retrospective review of 6 cases (6 eyes) of RRD and massive SSCH among 3772 cases of RRD was conducted. All of 6 patients were treated with twenty-gauge vitrectomy, suprachoroidal blood drainage, phacoemulsification (PHACO) or lensectomy and silicon oil tamponade. The clinical characters, intraoperative findings and treatment outcomes were reported. RESULTS In the 6 affected eyes of 6 patients (3 men and 3 women; mean age, 53.83y; range 34-61y), preoperative visual acuity ranged from faint light perception (LP) to counting finger (CF). The average interventional duration from visual decreased to surgery was 12.8 d (range 9-15d). All eyes were associated with high myopia and the mean ocular length was 30.32 mm (range 28.14-32.32 mm). Choroidal hemorrhage were successfully drained in the operation of all 6 eyes. Intraoperative findings showed there were multiple retinal breaks in all 6 eyes and in 4 eyes breaks were along supratemporal and/or infratemporal retinal vascular arcade, especially in the edge of chorioretinal atrophy areas. These patients were followed up from 6 to 34mo (Mean, 23.5mo). The best-corrected visual acuity after surgery varied from CF to 20/100, with improvement in 5 eyes (83.33%) and no change in 1 eye (16.67%). Ocular hypertension ocurred in 1 eye (16.67%), which was successfully treated by silicon oil removal combined with trabeculectomy. In 4 eyes, tractional retinal detachment caused by proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) appeared and a secondary surgery of pre-retinal membrane peeling and silicon oil retained were performed. In 4 eyes, silicon oil cannot be removed. The initial and final reattachment rates were 33.33% and 66.67%, respectively. CONCLUSION RRD associated with massive SSCH is an extremely rare event. The most common risk factor is long axial length. Vitrectomy and choroidal blood drainage can effectively remove suprachoroidal hemorrhage and promote retinal reattachment in these eyes. However, silicon oil could not be removed in most eyes and final visual acuities are generally poor.