Location variation of FVPMs in PDR eyes will affect the macular structure, which is closely associated with the visual and anatomic prognosis postoperatively [17, 18]. In the current report and other studies [3, 13], approximately 80% of patients require PPV surgery due to a non-clearing or recurrent VH. Therefore, the fundus of most patients was only firstly observed clearly during the operation, and the FVPM was the most distinguishable sign that could be detected without any auxiliary equipment. In the current study, we investigated the approximate distributions of FVPMs through the schematic images and evaluated the different outcomes of 25-G PPV for the management of PDR with different FVPM types.
Previous studies showed that microaneurysms mainly occur around the macular region at the early stage of DR [19]. As NPDR develops, the retinal nonperfusion areas extend to the larger vascular arcades and midperipheral retina [20, 21], mainly appearing in the nasal hemisphere [9]. In PDR, it was also reported that the majority of the neovascularization was located in the nasal hemisphere and along the superior vascular arcades [8, 9]. There are four layers of capillary network together with nerve fiber axons around the optic disc but only three layers in the macula [22], such that the nasal side has relatively abundant blood vessels and is more susceptible to ischemia. This could be the reason that neovascularization induced by ischemia always spreads on the nasal hemisphere of retina. In the current study, the overlapped fundus map was consistent with previous studies and showed that a large amount of FVPMs spread along the vascular arcades and nasally to the macular. Because FVPMs are mainly composed of neovascular stromal tissue, their distribution is almost consistent with NVE. Furthermore, it was also affected by common process of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). This frequently starts in the foveal areas and extends first in a superior direction. Subsequently, the PVD extends further in superotemporal and nasal direction and continues in inferotemporal direction before extending further nasally[23]. The occurrence of NVE and FVPMs on the retinal surface are based on an appropriate scaffold of collagenous material, such that PDR progression is not significantly associated with no PVD or partial PVD[24]. This PVD process depicted above may also be a possible reason for the phenomenon that among the three categories of FVPM described here, the rarest was the central type.
In the current study, the distribution of FVPMs was not associated with age, sex, laterality, DM duration or age of onset, HbA1c or BMI. Suffering from nephropathy, hypertension or obsolete brain infarction or requiring dialysis or preoperative photocoagulation treatment also did not affect the FVPM distribution. Theoretically, PVD does not initiate in younger patients, who were thus prone to present with a central type FVPM. Although the patients of group 3 had the youngest mean age and DM onset in our study, there was no statistically significant difference among the three groups.
Our results demonstrated that 25-G PPV was safe and effective in the management of PDR complicated with FVPM, particularly the PDR eyes with arcade or juxtapapillary type FVPM. By comparison, the recruited eyes of central type group displayed the highest rates of combined TRD/RRD, IRB formation, silicon oil tamponade, recurrent RD and worst BCVA 1 year, postoperatively. All of the central type FVPMs involving macular unexpectedly promoted a poor visual prognosis than the other two types, as well as the anatomic results. Therefore, it will raise concern when the fundus photograph or ultrasonography providing insight into the prognosis following vitrectomy to patients indicate that FVPMs are present around the posterior pole. Additionally, early intervention is essential for PDR patients with neovascularization concentrated on the macula with no or partial PVD.
It has been confirmed that the high incidence of IRBs formation was associated with increased postoperative complications, including rebleeding, recurrent RD and NVG, as well as worse postoperative BCVA[5, 25]. Smaller gauge PPV with high cut rates was reported to display more stable fluidics due to diminished flow and a better ability to preserve the vitreous base that prevents vitreal incarceration and dragging, which will minimize the risk for IRBs[13, 26]. Studies which recruited > 100 eyes showed that the incidence of IRBs formed in 20-gauge surgery ranged from 33–41%[5, 25]. Using 23-gauge vitrectomy systems, Celik et al[27] observed IRBs in 15% of eyes with diabetic FVPM threatening the macula. Using 25-G vitrectomy systems, Mikhail et al[12] reported only six IRBs in 109 eyes in the management of diabetic TRDs and Atlan et al[14] reported that retinal tear formation occurred in 28.5% of eyes in diabetic TRD. In the present study, the IRBs incidence was 11.32%, 13.79%, and 54.55% in the eyes of arcade type group, juxtapapillary type group and central type group, respectively. A possible explanation for the highest IRB incidence rate in eyes with central type FVPMs is that this group had the highest incidence of combined TRD/RRD. Combined TRD/RRD is a serious and challenging complication in PDR and requires more effective surgical management, which is frequently associated with poor visual outcomes and anatomic complications following PPV [28, 29]. The broader FVPM is prone to trigger tangential traction, which may create retinal breaks and transforms a pure TRD to a combined TRD/RRD. The incidence of IRB formation during an operation was increased by relatively complex ocular conditions, such as combined TRD/RRD, which will induce retinal atrophy and fragility.
Our study has several limitations. Firstly, we were only able to retrospectively evaluate inaccurate images outlined roughly after the operation because most patients recruited in the current study also displayed VH or opacified vitreous or lens. The inaccurate drawings could not provide the specific size or length or distance from the macula. Secondly, our study included only patients with completed review data in the first year of follow-up. Those patients with a follow-up < 12 months were excluded. The consequences of this bias may have affected the results. Furthermore, review data from the third and sixth months were incomplete. Consequently, the change in visual acuity could not be observed continuously.
In summary, our study demonstrated that FVPMs were more commonly found in the area of arcade vessels, followed by nasal and inferior mid-peripheral retina. Performance of 25-G vitrectomy proved to be safe in managing complicated PDR and was able to achieve satisfactory anatomical outcomes to preserve or improve vision in a large proportion of cases with complicated FVPMs. Given that PDR patients with central type FVPM had a relatively worse visual and anatomic prognosis in comparison, further research into earlier intervention of PDR with central type FVPM are warranted.