Pars plana vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling for macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Macular oedema is the main cause of visual impairment following retinal vein occlusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anatomical and functional outcome of pars plana vitrectomy and internal limited membrane (ILM) peeling for macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion.


METHODS
This pilot study is a prospective nonrandomised series of 11 eyes of 11 patients with macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal thickness on optical coherence tomography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and multifocal electroretinography were evaluated.


RESULTS
All 11 patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy with ILM peeling. The mean postoperative follow-up was 13.5 months (range, 1.5 to 24). The mean thickness at the foveal centre decreased from 794 +/- 276 microm preoperatively to 373 +/- 150 microm, 302 +/- 119 microm, 249 +/- 203 microm and 185 +/- 66 microm at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and the final visit postoperatively, respectively (all P <0.001, paired t- test, compared to preoperative thickness). Postoperative FFA demonstrated markedly reduced leakage in the macular region. At the final visit, BCVA improved 2 lines or more in 72.7% (8/11) of patients and was unchanged in 27.3% (3/11) patients. Complications included cataract in 7 patients and vitreous haemorrhage, recurrence of macular oedema and visual field defect in 1 case each.


CONCLUSIONS
Pars plana vitrectomy and ILM peeling rapidly reduced the macular oedema caused by retinal vein occlusion, with improvement in BCVA.
Liang
Xiao-Ling
XL
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China. Liangxlsums@yahoo.com.cn
Chen
Hao-Yu
HY
Huang
Yong-Sheng
YS
Au Eong
Kah-Guan
KG
Yu
Shan-Shan
SS
Liu
Xing
X
Yan
Hong
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015868:Pars Planitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy