title: [Findings of optical coherence tomography (OPT) before and after macular hole surgery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We used optical coherence tomography (OCT) for the staging of macular holes and compared our results with clinical and intraoperative findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1 January 1997 and 15 October 1998, 80 patients underwent vitrectomy for idiopathic macular holes. In 36 cases we could record an OCT preoperatively and in 24 cases also postoperatively. OCT measurements were analyzed in a blind fashion independent of the clinical pre- and intraoperative findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative OCT staging was in agreement with the intraoperative findings in 24 of 36 cases. However, in 8 cases, the macular hole was judged as stage 3 intraoperatively, while OCT revealed a stage 4 hole. Postoperatively, OCT results were consistent with the clinical findings in all 24 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCT scans are a valuable adjunct for the pre- and postoperative analysis of idiopathic macular holes. As the posterior hyaloid surface cannot always be reliably identified in OCT, discrimination between stage 3 and 4 is difficult.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Augenklinik Würzburg.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Schrader
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schrenker
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klink
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D014054:Tomography; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy