Intravitreal Injection of Bevacizumab in Primary Vitrectomy to Decrease the Rate of Retinal Redetachment: A Randomized Pilot Study

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) as a surgical adjunct in prevention of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) after retinal detachment surgery. METHODS: In this controlled, randomized pilot study, 27 patients with primary retinal detachment undergoing pars plana deep vitrectomy were included. Of these, 12 received IVB at the end of procedure. The anatomic success and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were compared to the control group at months 3 and 6 postoperatively. RESULTS: At three month follow-up, 3 of 11 eyes (27.3%) had detached retinas in the IVB group versus 6 of 12 (50.0%) in the control group (P = 0.40). At six-month follow-up, 3 of 10 eyes (30%) had detached retinas in the IVB group versus 3 in 8 (37.5%) in the control group (P > 0.99). Mean logMAR BCVA improved significantly in both groups relative to baseline, but did not show a significant difference at three-and six-month follow-ups between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results show neither a benefit nor any harm from intervention in both anatomic and visual outcomes. Our results support conducting additional studies to evaluate the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab on postoperative PVR.