Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of encircling scleral buckling surgery in rhegmatogenous retinal detachement (RRD) with vitrectomy. Methods The records of a series of 118 consecutive patients with RRD undergone encircling scleral buckling surgery and vitrectomy between 1995-1999 were reviewed. All of the patients underwent an onece vitrectomy, and they consisted of with encircling scleral buckling group and without encircling scleral buckling group. The difference of rate of retinal reattachment, and the relationship between the reattachment rate and the grade of PVR, position of retinal tear and the different intraocular tamponade substitute in both groups were analysed and compared. The average follow-up period was 6.5 mons (1.5 mons-3 ys). Results The rate of retinal reattachment in this series of 118 cases was 81.4% (96/118) in which the encircling scleral buckling group accounted for 44.7% and the group without encircling scleral buckling accounted for 55.3%. There was no statistical difference of rate of retinal reattachment between both groups with PVR C, different intraocular tamponade and various positions of retinal tears, while the rate of retinal reattachment in cases of PVR D and retinal tears posterior to equator in group without encircling scleral buckling was significanthy higher than that in encircling scleral buckling group (Plt;0.05). Conclusion The encircling scleral buckling procedure may be unprofitable in increasing the rate of retinal reattachment in vitrectomy for RRD. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2002, 18: 212-214)