title: Intravitreal dexamethasone implant for refractory macular edema secondary to vitrectomy for macular pucker.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy of a single 0.7 mg dexamethasone intravitreal implant in vitrectomized eyes with refractory macular edema secondary to combined cataract extraction and macular pucker removal.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 8 eyes of 8 consecutive patients with refractory macular edema secondary to combined cataract extraction and 25-gauge vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling for macular pucker removal, the injection of the 0.7 mg dexamethasone implant was performed. Best-corrected visual acuity, central retinal thickness measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and intraocular pressure were evaluated at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a mean follow-up of 6.75 ± 0.71 months, best-corrected visual acuity was significantly increased (P < 0.0001) from 20/50 to 20/23 (P < 0.0001), mean central retinal thickness decreased significantly from 439 ± 45 μm to 296 ± 49 μm (P < 0.0001), and intraocular pressure changed significantly (P = 0.02) from 14.63 ± 1.19 to 16 ± 0.93. In no case postoperative hypotony or other complication was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A single injection of the 0.7 mg dexamethasone intravitreal implant resulted effective in the treatment of refractory macular edema secondary to combined cataract extraction and vitrectomy for macular pucker removal allowing a stable visual acuity recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furino
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boscia
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Recchimurzo
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sborgia
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alessio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004343:Drug Implants; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004343:Drug Implants; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone