VITRECTOMY

Course overview

PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY (PPV) IS A SURGICAL TECHNIQUE ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED BY ROBERT MACHEMER. THE PARS PLANA APPROACH TO THE VITREOUS CAVITY ALLOWS ACCESS TO THE POSTERIOR SEGMENT TO TREAT MANY VITREORETINAL DISEASES. THIS PROCEDURE REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF TECHNICAL SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE TO ENSURE GOOD OUTCOMES. A SUCCESSFUL VITRECTOMY CAN RESTORE VISION AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM MANY VITREORETINAL DISEASES. HOWEVER, THE PROCEDURE CAN ALSO BE ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLICATIONS. ALTHOUGH THE CHANCES ARE LOW WHEN PERFORMED CORRECTLY, THESE COMPLICATIONS CAN CAUSE SEVERE PATIENT MORBIDITY AND BLINDNESS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES OF VITRECTOMY. AFTER READING THE ARTICLE, THE READER SHOULD HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN THE PROCEDURE IS INDICATED AND THE STEPS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES.