title: Vitrectomy with membrane peeling for vasocentric idiopathic epiretinal membranes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the clinical course and outcome of surgery for idiopathic epiretinal membranes (ERMs) centered on retinal blood vessels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational case series review of the case records of 15 patients with idiopathic ERMs overlying retinal blood vessels, of whom 9 underwent vitrectomy with membrane peeling. The patients attended two eye departments under the care of four vitreoretinal surgeons with a total of more than 50 years of surgical experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients were aged 12-74 years (mean = 34.3 years). Difficulties were experienced in achieving vitreoretinal and membranoretinal separation in the 9 eyes undergoing vitreous microsurgery. Recurrent ERM formation occurred in 8 of these eyes (89%) of which 6 underwent revision vitrectomy. Visual improvement was achieved in 55% of patients. Mean follow-up was 2.5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors describe a subgroup of patients with idiopathic ERMs in which the membrane is centered over a large retinal vessel. This occurs predominantly but not exclusively in a young age group. Surgical removal is characterized by a high recurrence rate.
authors.affiliation: Sunderland Eye Infirmary, Tyne and Wear, UK.
authors.forename: Maged S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Steel
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Fetherston
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: David V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Inglesby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000379:methods*