Posterior Empty Spaces during Vitreoretinal Surgery

Abstract

Purpose

To study during vitreoretinal surgery the intravitreal posterior empty spaces caused by different posterior relationships between the retina, posterior hyaloid and posterior vitreous.

Methods

A total of 151 eyes with different vitreoretinal disorders were considered; 97 eyes with retinal detachment (Group I), 54 eyes without retinal detachment (Group II). Intraoperative anatomy was carefully observed. In Group I, intraoperative observations were made with and without the infusion fluid entering the eyes.

Results

Different intraoperative posterior empty spaces were found: (i) within the posterior vitreous, (ii) between the detached posterior hyaloid and the retina, (iii) above and below the detached posterior “isolated hyaloid”, and (iv) between the more posterior vitreous and the attached posterior hyaloid. The infusion fluid flux may variously change the size and shape of these posterior empty spaces.

Conclusions

Many types of posterior empty spaces were observed intraoperatively. Their correct interpretation was important to well-conducted surgery. Dynamic movements of fluids in the vitreous cavity caused many intraoperative artifacts, making it difficult to understand the empty spaces and the vitreoretinal relationships present before surgery.