SUBRETINAL TRANSPLANTATION OF AN AUTOLOGOUS RETINAL FREE FLAP FOR CHRONIC RETINAL DETACHMENT WITH PROLIFERATIVE VITREORETINOPATHY WITH AND WITHOUT MACULAR HOLE

Purpose: To describe the surgical technique for subretinal transplantation of an autologous retinal free flap in cases of chronic retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy with and without a macular hole. Methods: Descriptive case series. Results: Two patients with recurrent retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy were referred for surgical evaluation. The first patient had high myopia and a macular hole. Acuity at the last time of sustained retinal reattachment was 20/400 for the first patient and counting fingers for the second patient and, in both cases, declined to light perception in the months after redetachment. Despite membrane/internal limiting membrane peeling, surgical repair required an inferior retinectomy in both cases. A retinal free flap was placed subfoveally. In the first patient, the flap was placed with the photoreceptors facing bare retinal pigment epithelium. In the second patient, the flap was inverted so its photoreceptors faced residual macular photoreceptors. The retina was flattened over the flap. Postoperatively, vision improved to 20/160 and 20/400 in the first and second patient respectively. Conclusion: Subretinal placement of a retinal flap is possible in eyes with retinal detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy with and without macular hole. Whether such a flap results in superior visual and anatomical outcomes remains to be seen.