title: Peeling of the basal membrane in the human retina: ultrastructural effects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, usually performed in cases of macular hole formation, on the structural integrity of the human retina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two human donor eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A human donor retina was subjected to ILM peeling shortly after enucleation, fixed, and studied by electron microscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electron microscopic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Within the peeled area, and even at its margins, a substantial number of Müller (glial) cell endfeet and vitreal Müller cell processes was severely damaged. However, many glial cells remained intact, and the cell bodies of the injured cells showed no signs of destruction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that ILM peeling results in minor, but demonstrable, damage of the adjacent retina. Clinical studies are required to demonstrate unequivocally that ILM peeling does not induce functional deficits rather than improvement of visual function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Eye Clinic, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany. wolfs@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schnurbusch
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grosche
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reichenbach
authors.forename: Hartwig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wolburg
mesh_terms: D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002470:Cell Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012160:Retina / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure*