Pharmacological adjuvants for diabetic vitrectomy surgery

Abstract

Diabetic vitrectomy is a highly intricate surgical procedure performed during the advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR). It is used to treat conditions such as tractional or combined retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, and subhyaloid hemorrhage, which are all severe manifestations of proliferative DR. The results of the surgery are uncertain and variable. Vitreoretinal surgery has made significant progress since the early stages of vitrectomy. In the past ten years, advancements in intravitreal pharmacotherapy have emerged, offering new possibilities to improve the surgical results for our patients. Within the realm of medical terminology, an "adjunct" refers to a pharmaceutical or substance employed to aid or expedite the primary therapeutic intervention for a particular ailment. Their introduction has broadened the range of therapeutic choices that are accessible prior to, during, and following surgical procedures. This review article will specifically analyze the pharmacological adjuncts used in diabetic vitrectomy surgery, with a focus on their role in facilitating or aiding specific steps of the procedure. The implementation of this system of categorization offers benefits to the surgeon by allowing them to foresee potential difficulties that may occur during the surgical procedure and to choose the appropriate pharmacological agent to effectively tackle these challenges, thus enhancing surgical success rates.

Keywords: Adjuvants; Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; Diabetic retinopathy; Intravitreal injections; Outcomes; Vitrectomy.