Electro-oculographic findings after 360 degrees retinotomy and macular translocation for subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation in age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate potential electro-oculographic changes after 360 degrees retinotomy and macular translocation for subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a randomised comparative (self-controlled) trial.


METHODS
A consecutive series of 30 patients suffering from subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation secondary to age-related macular degeneration underwent 360 degrees retinotomy and macular translocation. The EOG served as the main parameter of the study and was recorded 1 day prior to the translocation surgery and no earlier than 21 days after the silicone oil removal.


RESULTS
Postoperatively, a statistically significant decrease in mean dark trough by 64% was found for treated eyes (P<0.001). The mean dark trough of the fellow eye remained stable after surgery (P=0.33). The postoperative difference between the treated und untreated eyes proved to be statistically significant (P<0.001). The Arden ratio remained stable in the treated and untreated eyes with mean values of 204% (P=0.81) and 213% (P=0.18), respectively. A significant correlation between the reduction of the dark trough and the visual acuity at the 1-year follow-up was found.


CONCLUSIONS
A persistent decrease in the corneofundal potential is associated with 360 degrees retinotomy and macular translocation for exudative AMD. This indicates a substantial postoperative malfunction of retinal pigment epithelial cells and an impaired photoreceptor regeneration. The impeded recovery of the RPE-photoreceptor complex can be interpreted as the result of the surgical trauma on the basis of prediseased RPE. A severe postoperative decrease in dark trough forecasts an incomplete recovery of visual acuity.
Lüke
Christoph
C
Center of Ophthalmology, Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 9, 50924 Cologne, Germany. aia18@uni-koeln.de
Alteheld
Nils
N
Aisenbrey
Sabine
S
Lüke
Matthias
M
Bartz-Schmidt
Karl Ulrich
KU
Walter
Peter
P
Kirchhof
Bernd
B
D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004585:Electrooculography; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000601:surgery*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic; D014792:Visual Acuity