Pars Plana Vitrectomy in Advanced Coats' Disease

Purpose: To report 5 cases of advanced Coats' disease managed with pars plana vitrectomy and silicone oil tamponade.

Methods: Five patients with advanced Coats' disease and serous or tractional retinal detachment underwent pars plana vitrectomy with internal drainage, endolaser photocoagulation and silicone oil tamponade. One patient had combined phacoemulsification-vitrectomy surgery. Of the 5 patients, 1 had intravitreal hemorrhage and a retinal macrocyst and 1 had a retinal cyst. Follow-up period was 1-6 years.

Results: All patients had improved visual acuity after surgery. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed in any of the patients. The retina was attached and the disease was stable in all patients during follow-up. Two patients had cataract formation, and in one of them the cataract was successfully managed with phacoemulsification surgery.

Conclusion: Pars plana vitrectomy, subretinal fluid drainage, and long-term silicone oil tamponade are effective methods in the management of advanced Coats' disease. Early and prompt management can prevent visual loss and secondary complications.