[Vitrectomy for vitreo-macular traction syndrome].
BACKGROUND
In vitreomacular traction syndrome (VTS), partial posterior vitreous detachment is combined with persistent macular adherence of the vitreous cortex, inducing macular traction changes and functional disturbances. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the anatomical and functional results of vitrectomy for clinically active VTS.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 38 consecutive eyes from 36 patients (average age 71.4 years) that underwent pars plana vitrectomy for symptomatic VTS. Vitrectomy was combined with epiretinal membrane peeling in 32 eyes and internal limiting membrane peeling in 14 eyes.


RESULTS
Mean postoperative follow-up period was 22.4 months. Cystoid macular edema (CME), which was identified preoperatively on biomicroscopic examination and fluorescein angiography in 30 cases, disappeared in all cases but three (92 %). Visual acuity (VA) improved in 26 eyes (68 %), with 12 eyes (32 %) gaining 4 lines or more. Mean VA at the end of the follow-up (0.51 +/- 0.08) significantly increased compared to the preoperative one (0.32 +/- 0.06) (p = 0.0002). Intraoperative complications were small petechias (32 %) and retinal tears (8 %), and postoperative complications included progression of nuclear sclerosis (83 %), retinal pigment epitheliopathy (26 %) and retinal detachment (8 %). Two recurrences of epiretinal membrane were observed (5 %).


CONCLUSIONS
Vitrectomy is effective in releasing vitreomacular traction, restoring macular anatomy and inducing a regression of CME. Visual acuity improves significantly in most cases.
Petropoulos
Ioannis K
IK
Clinique d'Ophtalmologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Genève, Suisse.
Stangos
Alexandros-Athanasios N
AA
Brozou
Catherine G
CG
Kapetanios
Anastasios D
AD
Pournaras
Constantin J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D020255:Vitreous Detachment / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*