Morphological and pathogenetic aspects of proliferative vitreo-retinopathy. A histological and immunohistochemical study.

Proliferative vitreo-retinopathy (PVR) and subretinal membrane proliferation are the most common complication and cause of failure in retinal-detachment (RD) surgery. In this study, material withdrawn from 21 patients was observed. The vitreal taps of 16 bulbs affected by PVR and which had undergone vitrectomy, along with 5 bulbs obtained by enucleation, were stained with Hematoxylin Eosin and studied immunohistochemically. The cells involved in this proliferative tissue include macrophages, cellular elements of pigmented epithelium origin, fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. From the examination of enucleated bulbs, we can easily recognize that the cellular components of the membrane are represented by fibroblasts, capillaries, and occasional macrophages; meanwhile, PE cells remain at the base of the newly formed tissue.