Ultrastructural Studies of Retina and Proliferative Membranes in Coats' Disease Complicated by Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

ABSTRACT

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy is the most common complication of retinal reattachment surgery. The condition is characteristerized by the proliferation of cells on both surface of retina resulting in membrane formation and traction on retina. The authors studied the ultrastructural features of preretinal, subretinal membrane and peripheral retinal tissue which were removed during vitreous surgery in eye with Coats' disease complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy (Grade D-l). In preretinal membrane, fibrocytes, fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, macrophages and collagen fibrils were observed in central retinal area and fibrocyte, collagen fibril and retinal pigment epithelium in periphe ral retinal area. In subretinal membreane, retinal pigment epithelial cells, macrophage-like cells, fibrin, collagen fibrils and amorphorous materials were observed.