[Current strategies for macular hole surgery in Germany, Austria and Switzerland].
BACKGROUND
Main aim of this study was to determine how macular hole surgery is currently being performed in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.


METHODS
A questionnaire concerning the different aspects of surgery for stage 3 macular hole was developed and sent out to the 380 members of the German Retina Society.


RESULTS
This analysis is based on 129 returned questionnaires from colleagues who perform macular hole surgery. A total of 95% (n=123) of the surgeons routinely perform vitrectomy with posterior vitreous detachment, peeling of epiretinal tissue and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. Some 86% (n=106) stain the ILM, with 80% of these (n=85) using indocyanine green (ICG) in concentrations ranging from 0.005% up to 10%. Fourteen percent of ICG users perform a fluid-air exchange before applying the dye. Platelet concentrate is used by 8% of the surgeons with 97% (n=125) performing a gas tamponade using SF6 (53%), C3F8 (22%), C2F6 (16%) or just air (5%) (multiple answers: 4%). Simultaneous cataract surgery is routinely performed by 8%; by 73% only if there is significant cataract.


CONCLUSIONS
There is common consent on the basic surgical steps, but several surgical details, e.g. ILM staining, are performed in substantially different ways.
Schaal
K B
KB
Universitäts-Augenklinik, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. stefan.dithmar@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Bartz-Schmidt
K U
KU
Dithmar
S
S
D001317:Austria; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000601:surgery; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020255:Vitreous Detachment / Q000601:surgery