Background/aims To report the incidence, risk factors and prognosis of retinal detachment (RD) in patients who had vitrectomy for acute bacterial endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.

Methods 123 patients with acute postcataract endophthalmitis, consecutively treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) were included by the French Institutional Endophthalmitis Study group, in a prospective multicentre cohort study. Risk factors of RD were analysed using logistic regression.

Results At the 6-month follow-up, the rate of post-PPV RD was 13% (n=16). The risk factors of post-PPV RD were diabetes (OR=4.7 (1.4–15.4), p=0.01) and visualisation of retinal vasculitis on the posterior pole (OR=3.8 (1.1–13.9), p=0.03) at the time of PPV. Postoperative RD occurred in 56% (n=9) of cases in the first month, in 31% (n=5) in the second month and in 6% (n=1) in the third month, with a mean delay of 47±71 days after PPV. The macula was detached in 12 cases (75%) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy grade C was present in seven cases. Final successful reattachment of the retina was obtained in 60% (n=9/15) of cases, with one (7/9) or two surgeries (2/9). Final visual acuity after surgical repair was ≥20/40 in 19% of cases, compared with 43% in patients without RD (p=0.05).

Conclusions RD is a major and severe complication of PPV performed in patients with acute postcataract endophthalmitis. Retinal vasculitis is a major risk factor of RD after PPV. Anatomical and functional outcome remain poor.