AIM: To study the clinical curative effect of scleral buckling(SB)combined with intravitreous gas injection in the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment(RRD)and the influence on serum levels of amino acids and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF).

METHODS: The clinical data of 150 RRD patients(150 eyes)in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. And 81 patients(81 eyes)treated with scleral buckling alone were included into the non-gas injection group while 69 patients(69 eyes)treated with scleral buckling combined with intravitreous gas injection were included in the gas injection group. The surgical effect, serum levels of amino acids and VEGF before and after surgery were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference in retinal reattachment rate between the two groups at different time points after surgery(P>0.05). The intraocular pressure of gas injection group at 3d after surgery was significantly higher than that of non-gas injection group(P<0.05)but there was no significant difference in intraocular pressure between the two groups at 5d after surgery(P>0.05). The uncorrected visual acuity of operative eye of the two groups was improved significantly after surgery(P<0.05). Serum levels of histidine, glutamic acid, phenylalanine and VEGF levels in the two groups significantly decreased at 5d after surgery(P<0.05), without significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05). There was no significant difference in serum levels of arginine, leucine, isoleucine and glycine before and after treatment(P>0.05). The total score of visual function related quality of life and scores of different dimensions significantly increased at 1mo after surgery(P<0.05), without significant differences between the two groups(P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the total incidence of postoperative complications between the gas injection group(7.2%, 5/69)and the non-gas injection group(9.9%, 8/81; P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Scleral buckling combined with intravitreous gas injection can help the early recovery of visual function and intraocular pressure in RRD patients, and reduce the levels of histidine, glutamic acid, phenylalanine and VEGF, and it has high safety.