Table 2 Intraoperative and postoperative data Group 1 PPV Bleeding frequency (times/surgery) mean (SD)/(range) Diathermy frequency (times/surgery) mean (SD)/(range) Surgical time (min.) mean (SD)/(range) PFCL use, n (%) Relaxing retinotomy, n (%) Endotamponade, n (%) 20% SF6 Air Silicone oil VA pre surgery mean (± lines)/(range) VA post surgery (ﬁnal) mean (± lines)/(range) VA change, n (%) Better Same Worse Primary attachment, n (%) Subsequent surgeries, n (%) Cataract + oil removal Re-PPV Postoperative complications Cataract, progressive Cataract, gas-induced Postoperative bleeding Rubeosis Optic pallor Corneal erosions 6.8 (1.5)/(4–9) 4.6 (1.2)/(2–6) 8 (53.3) 4 (26.6) 6 (40) 0 9 (60 ) 12 (80) 2 (13.3) 1 (6.7) 13 (86.6) 7 (46.7) 2 (13.3) 7 (46.7) 2 (13.3) 4 (26.6) 1 (6.7) 0 5 (33.3) 93.3 (11.6)/(70–110) 61.6 (14.5)/(40–90) 0.016 (6.2)/(HM −0.1) 0.01(7.3)/(HM −0.1) 0.12 (6.7)/(HM −0.5) 0.18 (6.8)/(HM −0.6) Group 2 Avastin + PPV 1.9 (1.1)/(0–4) 0.27 (0.46)/(0–1) 3 (20) 2 (13.3) 9 (60) 3 (20) 3 (20) 13 (86.6) 2 (13.3) 0 14 (90.3) 3 (20) 1 (6.7) 4 (26.6) 3 (20) 0 0 1 (6.7) 2 (13.3) Intravitreal bevacizumab and diabetic vitrectomy P value (w) 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 P2 0.001 P = 0.52 P1 = 0.003 P value (chi) 1 Abbreviations: PPV, pars plana vitrectomy;VA, best corrected visual acuity; ww,Wilcoxon two-sample test; chi, chi square test; P1, preoperative versus ﬁnal VA in group1; P2, preoperative versus ﬁnal VA in group 2; P, p value, visual change between the two groups; SD, standard deviation; min, minutes; PFCL, perﬂuorocarbon liquid. The comparative intraoperative and postoperative ﬁnd- ings of both groups are summarized in Table 2. Discussion Pharmacological blockage of VEGF, postulated to be the factor which is primarily responsible for retinal angionesis and vascular permeability, has been investigated exten- sively (Adamis and Shima 2005). VEGF has been shown to contribute signiﬁcantly to proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Retinal ischemia leads to an increased production of intra- vitreal VEGF by pigment epithelial cells, pericytes and endothelial cells, while inhibition of VEGF activity via suc- cessful panretinal photocoagulation decreases VEGF levels and inhibits retinal neovascularization (Aiello et al 1994). In this study, intravitreal bevacizumab was injected in an effort to quiet down the ﬁbrovascular proliferation before Clinical Ophthalmology 2008:2(4) 713