title: Role of Concomitant Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection in Small-Gauge Vitrectomy for Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane Peel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The concomitant use of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) at the completion of pars plana vitrectomy for the treatment of epiretinal membrane may speed up the anatomical and functional outcomes of surgery. We report the outcome of patients undergoing small-gauge vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membrane peel with or without adjuvant TA therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective, single-center case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 75 eyes of 75 individual patients. Twenty-six patients (group A) had an adjuvant TA injection during surgery, whereas 49 patients (group B) were not injected. We assessed the patients for change in visual acuity (VA) and central macular thickness before and after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group A had a mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution VA of 0.63 ± 0.33 and 0.51 ± 0.31 preoperatively and 3 months after surgery, respectively. Group B had a mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution VA of 0.47 ± 0.17 and 0.36 ± 0.17 preoperatively and 3 months after surgery, respectively. No significant difference was found between the groups in change of VA. The mean central macular thickness for groups A and B patients before surgery was 474.12 ± 120 μm and 445 ± 85 μm, decreasing to 369 ± 70 μm and 386 ± 60 μm at the final visit, respectively. The difference in macular thickness reduction between the groups was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anatomical and functional improvement was found in both groups after surgery. Macular thickness was further reduced in the group of patients treated with adjuvant TA.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel; and †Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ruti
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sella
authors.forename: Orly
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gal-or
authors.forename: Yi Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: Nadeem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Polkinghorne
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide