title: Effect of intravitreal triamcinolone injection during vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of intravitreal triamcinolone injections as an adjuvant of vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 58 eyes of 58 patients who were diagnosed as having idiopathic epiretinal membrane and who underwent vitrectomy and membrane peeling. They were divided into 2 groups: 27 eyes in the injected group that received triamcinolone injection during the surgical procedure and 31 eyes in the control group that did not receive injection. The best-corrected visual acuity, foveal thickness, and complications were compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average visual acuity of the injected group improved from 0.70 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) (Snellen equivalent, 20/100; range, 20/25-20/200) at baseline to 0.59 logMAR (20/80; range, 20/40-20/200) at 1 month and 0.55 logMAR (20/70; range, 20/30-20/200) at 3 months. Foveal thickness reduced from 456.9 μm (range, 307-740 μm) to 387.9 μm (range, 238-584 μm) at 1 month and 336.4 μm (range, 225-529 μm) at 3 months, respectively. In the control group, average visual acuity improved from 0.63 logMAR (20/80; range, 20/40-20/300) to 0.48 logMAR (20/60; range, 20/25-20/125) and 0.43 logMAR (20/50; range, 20/25-20/160) at 1 month and 3 months, respectively. Foveal thickness reduced from 467.1 μm (range, 328-621 μm) to 376.1 μm (range, 271-429 μm) and 375.1 μm (range, 236-475 μm) at 1 month and 3 months, respectively. There were no significant differences in the visual acuity, foveal thickness, and any complications between the two groups during follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal injection of triamcinolone combined with vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane did not affect postoperative foveal thickness and functional recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Hyun-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Boo-Sup
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Oum
mesh_terms: D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide