Progressive proliferative diabetic retinopathy after transplantation of the pancreas. A case and a review of the topic.

The unusual case history of the development of a progressive diabetic retinopathy despite normal blood glucose after transplantation of the pancreas and despite panretinal laser coagulations is described. A 26-year-old male with diabetic background retinopathy underwent a segmental transplantation of the pancreas in 1988. One year after surgery, a progressive proliferative retinopathy despite normoglycemia was found, which required an intensive panretinal photocoagulation during the following months. However, despite massive retinal coagulations, vitreous hemorrhages and retinal neovascularizations continuously occurred, thus requiring two vitrectomies. After these procedures, visual acuity recovered distinctly. It is suggested that the 'point of no return' for the development of proliferative changes in the retina had been passed at a time when a background retinopathy was still present. The effect of normoglycemia during follow-up of patients with diabetic retinopathy, described in the literature, is compared to this unusual case history.