Management of Vision-Threatening Complications of Vasoproliferative Tumors of the Retina.

AIMS: To report the management of vision-threatening complications of vasoproliferative tumors of the retina.

METHODS

Clinical records of 31 eyes of 30 patients treated at our centers from 1998 through 2013 were reviewed. The main outcome measures included: type of treatment, tumor regression, tumor relapse and final visual acuity.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients (57%) underwent vitrectomy for epimacular membranes (n = 10), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (n = 2), vitreous hemorrhage (n = 2), tractional retinal detachment (n = 1), serous retinal detachment (n = 1) and subhyaloid hemorrhage (n = 1). After the initial treatment, 10 additional surgeries were performed for vitreoretinal complications. Tumor activity was treated in all eyes either with photocoagulation or cryotherapy. Control of tumor activity was achieved in all cases, after treatment of recurrences. There were no statistically significant differences between initial and final visual acuity (p = 0.437). Recurrence showed a statistically significant association with the presence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (p = 0.024), tumor thickness (p = 0.026), basal diameter (p = 0.031), and use of photocoagulation alone as initial treatment (p = 0.006, logistic regression).

CONCLUSION

In our series, more than half of vasoproliferative tumors of the retina required surgery as the initial treatment. Recurrence was associated with tumor size, presence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and use of photocoagulation alone as the initial treatment.