title: Indocyanine green-assisted peeling of the epiretinal membrane in proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We stained the internal limiting membrane of patients suffering from proliferative vitreoretinopathy with indocyanine green solution during proliferative vitreoretinopathy surgery to improve the visibility of the membranes, and thereby histopathologically confirmed the excised epiretinal membranes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients underwent a standard three-port pars plana vitrectomy with indocyanine green staining. After performing a subtotal vitrectomy we spread 0.5% indocyanine green solution, approximately 1 ml, on the retinal surface and peeled off the epiretinal membranes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The epiretinal membranes did not stain clearly, while the internal limiting membranes did stain clearly. We could therefore distinguish the epiretinal membranes from the retina. We cut the internal limiting membrane, grasped it, and peeled off the internal limiting membrane underlying the epiretinal membranes using vitreoretinal forceps. A histopathologic examination confirmed the presence of proliferative cells and an extracellular matrix underlying the internal limiting membranes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The technique for staining the epiretinal membranes in proliferative vitreoretinopathy using indocyanine green gives better visualization and allows surgeons to remove the epiretinal membranes more safely and effectively, as well as with less risk of retinal damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Beppu National Hospital, Japan. hidehisa@med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hidehisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Tatsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004396:Coloring Agents; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D014821:Vitrectomy; D018630:Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green