Anticoagulants and antiplatelets are safe to use during pars plana vitrectomy

Continuing the use of anticoagulants and antiplatelets during diabetic pars plana vitrectomy does not pose a higher risk of intraoperative or postoperative vitreous haemorrhage, according to a paper published in Retina.

The retrospective, comparative cohort investigation led by Dr Jamin Brown, Vitreoretinal Division, Kresge Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA, consisted of 97 eyes that underwent diabetic pars plana vitrectomy. A single surgeon operated on all patients over a 30-month period at a single practice. Of the eyes included in the study, 27 continued with anticoagulation perioperatively and 50 eyes had anticoagulation stopped.

Surgical intervention with anticoagulation and antiplatelets agents demonstrated a significant increase in visual acuity, compared to patients who were not administered anticoagulation and antiplatelets.

No differences in the incidence of postoperative vitreous haemorrhage or re-operation were recorded between the two groups. Patients administered with anticoagulation medication presented with a significantly worse postoperative vision compared to patients not receiving anticoagulation medication. Best-corrected visual acuity of 20/230 was found in the anticoagulation patients, compared to 20/100 in the non-anticoagulation patients.