SUPPLEMENTAL SCLERAL BUCKLE IN VITRECTOMY FOR THE REPAIR OF RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT: A Systematic Review of Literature and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of supplemental scleral buckle (SB) in pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched to identify studies comparing PPV with supplemental SB (PPV + SB) to PPV alone for the repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The outcome measures were primary and final reattachment rates, and postoperative complications. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval in random effects for the comparison of outcomes between PPV + SB and PPV alone was calculated.

Ten studies consisting of 1,704 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that the overall primary reattachment rate was significantly higher in PPV + SB than PPV alone (odds ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.21–2.39; P = 0.002). The final reattachment rate was equally high in both groups. Postoperative development of epiretinal membrane was more frequent in PPV + SB than in PPV alone (odds ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.30–2.76; P = 0.001), whereas no significant difference in postoperative development of macular edema, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, or elevation of intraocular pressure was found.

Supplemental SB increases the primary reattachment rate in PPV for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, although final reattachment rate was equally high with or without SB.