Role of Tamponade in Vitrectomy for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy with Vitreous Hemorrhage.

<bold>Aim: </bold>To analyze the role of tamponade in vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy with vitreous hemorrhage.<bold>Methods: </bold>A retrospective chart analysis of patients who underwent vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) between 2006 and 2013, with a minimum follow-up of six months, was done. The data collected included age, gender, control of diabetes, pre- and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal detachment, type of tamponade, and recurrence of vitreous hemorrhage (VH). Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software version 2.0 and p values <0.05 were taken as significant.<bold>Results: </bold>A total of 73 eyes of 73 patients were included. The patients were analyzed in four groups: Group 1: no tamponade; Group 2: air; Group 3: gas; Group 4: silicone oil (SO). Eighteen (24.7%), 18 (24.7%), 15 (20.5%), and 22 (30.1%) patients were in the four groups, respectively. The mean preoperative BCVA in logMAR was 1.61, 1.84, 2.25, and 2.03 and the mean change in BCVAs at six months was -0.98, -0.94, -0.97, and -0.19 in four groups, respectively. Recurrent vitreous hemorrhage was noted in 11.1%, 11.1%, 6.7%, and 9.5% of patients of four groups; it was not statistically significant. The retina remained attached in 100%, 100%, 93%, and 90% of patients in the four groups, respectively, at six months.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>The use of an intraocular tamponade in eyes with vitreous hemorrhage due to PDR was not found to be superior to no tamponade in reducing recurrent vitreous hemorrhage. Therefore, the use of a tamponade in eyes without retinal break is not beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]