Purpose: To identify the clinical risk factors for the development of severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) after retinal detachment surgery.
Methods: A retrospective study of 1020 patients with either no PVR or with PVR of grade C1 or less at initial examination was conducted. After surgery, severe PVR was defined as grade C2 or worse. The data relating to 94 variables were evaluated by univariate analysis and stepwise logistic regression.
Results: Severe PVR developed after surgery in 107 patients (10.5%). Ten significant predictive variables were identified: minor intra- or postoperative hemorrhage, grade A preoperative PVR, preoperative choroidal detachment, giant tears, air tamponade, detachment involving more than 2 quadrants, cumulative break area larger than 3 optic disks, postoperative choroidal detachment, signs of uveitis at initial examination, and grade B preoperative PVR.
Conclusion: The results indicate that in addition to the size of breaks, extent of detachment, and presence of preoperative inflammation or low-grade PVR, iatrogenic problems also are important factors in the pathogenesis of severe PVR after surgery for retinal detachment.