Macular pucker removal with and without internal limiting membrane peeling: pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate results of macular pucker surgery with and without internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling.


METHODS
Retrospective noncomparative interventional case series.


METHODS
Forty-four consecutive patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy to remove an idiopathic macular pucker by two surgeons from June 1999 to July 2000.


METHODS
During the vitrectomy, one surgeon removed only the macular epiretinal membrane (24 patients), whereas the other surgeon removed the macular epiretinal membrane and then performed an additional ILM peeling (20 patients).


METHODS
Visual acuity and recurrence of macular pucker.


RESULTS
Twenty-four (55%) patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy without ILM peeling, and 20 patients (45%) underwent pars plana vitrectomy with ILM peeling. Visual acuity improved or was unchanged in 79% of operated eyes without ILM peeling and 100% of operated eyes with ILM peeling (P = 0.01). Visual acuity improved 5 or more lines in 25% of operated eyes without ILM peeling and 30% of operated eyes with ILM peeling. At the final visit, 21% of eyes without ILM peeling at the initial surgery showed postoperative recurrent macular pucker or persistent contraction to the ILM, whereas none of the eyes with ILM peeling had evidence of this.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study provides evidence that peeling of the ILM during macular pucker surgery may not have deleterious effects.
Park
Donald W
DW
Retina Consultants of Arizona, Mesa, Arizona 85201, USA.
Dugel
Pravin U
PU
Garda
Jennifer
J
Sipperley
Jack O
JO
Thach
Allen
A
Sneed
Scott R
SR
Blaisdell
Jennifer
J
D000368:Aged; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000601:surgery; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy