Optical cross-sectional evaluation of successfully repaired idiopathic macular holes by retinal thickness analyzer

The impact of extent of internal limiting membrane peeling on anatomical outcomes of macular hole surgery: results of a 54-week randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE

To compare the anatomical outcomes of different extents of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in idiopathic macular hole surgery.

METHODS

Prospective, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial. A total of 121 eyes of 121 patients with idiopathic macular hole underwent pars plana vitrectomy, and peeling of the ILM with a diameter of two disk diameters (DD) or 4DD based on randomization. The main outcome was the proportion of eyes with complete hole closure at 12 months. The second outcome was the hole closure grading stratified by macular hole closure index (MHCI) at each visit.

RESULTS

At 12 months, there was no significant difference in anatomical outcomes with complete closure achieved in 52 (82.5%) of 63 eyes in the 2DD group and 53 (91.4%) of 58 eyes in the 4DD group (p = 0.15). For subjects with MHCI ≤0.5 (n = 24), complete closure rate was significantly lower in the 2DD group compared to the 4DD group (p = 0.012; 18.2% versus 75.9%, respectively). Average BCVA was lower in 2DD group than 4DD group (p = 0.014). By contrast, when MHCI was >0.5, the complete closure rate between the two groups showed no significant difference: 96.2% (50 patients) versus 95.6% (43 patients), respectively (p = 0.185).

CONCLUSION

In patients with idiopathic full-thickness macular hole and MHCI ≤0.5, a larger ILM peel of 4DD tends to achieve better anatomical outcomes than a more limited 2DD peel.

Residual triamcinolone acetonide sequestered in the fovea after macular hole repair

PURPOSE

To report the macular hole closure rate and visual outcomes of patients with residual triamcinolone acetonide in the fovea after macular hole repair.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients who underwent macular hole surgery at our institution between 2005 and 2008. Only patients with visible triamcinolone in the fovea in the first postoperative month were included.

RESULTS

Six patients with Stage III or IV macular holes were included. All patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling, and gas tamponade. Triamcinolone acetonide was used to visualize the vitreous in every patient, and diluted indocyanine green was used to stain the internal limiting membrane in five patients. The median preoperative best-corrected visual acuity was 20/200, which improved to a median of 20/40 at the last follow-up. Five patients eventually developed retinal pigment epithelial alterations. Anatomic hole closure was achieved in every patient. The mean follow-up was 23 months (range, 3-36 months).

CONCLUSION

Residual triamcinolone sequestered in the fovea after macular hole surgery did not affect hole closure or prevent improvement in visual acuity. It is unclear whether the retinal pigment epithelial alterations in our patients represent toxicity or are unrelated to the triamcinolone exposure.

Eccentricity and measurement variability and repeatability with the retinal thickness analyser

AIMS

To define the variability and repeatability of retinal thickness measurements using the retinal thickness analyser (RTA) and to elucidate any interaction between eccentricity (that is, position relative to the fovea) and variability and repeatability.

METHODS

The sample comprised 20 normal subjects of mean age 33 years. Each subject attended for two visits. Repeated RTA scans were acquired centred on the fovea and for any one of the four possible non-foveal scan areas. The mean retinal thickness (+SD) was calculated for a series of concentric circular bands centred on fixation. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine any significant interaction between the variability of RTA thickness values and eccentricity.

RESULTS

The group mean coefficient of variation and coefficient of repeatability were highest at the fovea. The repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the within test variability of RTA measurements varied significantly with eccentricity (p<0.0001). Similarly, the between test repeatability varied significantly with eccentricity (p = 0.045).

CONCLUSION

The significantly elevated within test variability and between test repeatability in the foveal area need to be considered when using the RTA to evaluate patients with macular disease.

In vivo observation of internal limiting membrane in an eye with macular hole

PURPOSE

To determine whether an internal limiting membrane (ILM) in the foveal area with a full-thickness idiopathic macular hole (MH) was intact.

DESIGN

Interventional case report.

METHODS

The ILM was stained with indocyanine green and peeled with forceps during pars plana vitrectomy for a full-thickness MH with a cuff. The stained membrane over the MH was carefully examined to determine whether a hole was present.

RESULTS

The ILM was clearly observed by indocyanine green staining during pars plana vitrectomy; no hole was detected in the membrane over the MH.

CONCLUSIONS

A full-thickness MH with a cuff can occur in the absence of a hole in the ILM.