title: Five-year outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy for macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Long-term outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for macular edema (ME) associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) have been previously reported, but the studies did not report the number of additional treatments after surgery. During 5 years of follow-up, we therefore investigated the efficacy and safety of PPV for BRVO and evaluated the incidence of additional treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 25 eyes of 24 patients who underwent PPV for ME associated with BRVO and were followed up for at least 5 years. Best-corrected visual acuity was measured, and foveal thickness was assessed by optical coherence tomography. Additional treatments were also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) improved from 0.53±0.23 at baseline to 0.16±0.25 at 5 years (P<0.0001). The foveal thickness decreased from 535±222 µm at baseline to 205±143 µm at 5 years (P<0.0001). For the eyes with residual ME, the following additional treatments were performed within 5 years of follow-up: sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide in two eyes, intravitreal injection of bevacizumab in three eyes, grid laser photocoagulation in one eye, and direct photocoagulation of macroaneurysm in one eye. Additional surgeries were performed in two eyes: for one eye, phacoemulsification extraction of the ocular lens and intraocular lens implantation were performed because of cataract progression, and for the other eye, additional PPV was done for postoperative retinal detachment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PPV was effective for resolution of ME associated with BRVO and improved visual acuity with a small number of additional treatments during long-term follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital; Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital; Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital; Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation.
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kameda
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital; Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mandai
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital; Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation.
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurimoto
keywords: 5-year outcomes; branch retinal vein occlusion; macular edema; pars plana vitrectomy