Outcomes of Vitrectomy Under Air for Idiopathic Macular Hole

EFFICACY OF AIR TAMPONADE TREATMENT OF IDIOPATHIC MACULAR HOLES OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS AND OF FOLLOW-UP INTRAVITREAL AIR TAMPONADE FOR PERSISTENT HOLES

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy of air tamponade in idiopathic macular hole (iMH) surgery and of an additional intravitreal air injection in the treatment of persistent holes.

METHODS

Retrospective, observational case series. Sixty eyes of 60 patients with an iMH underwent phacoemulsification of cataract (when appropriate), pars plana vitrectomy, and internal limiting membrane peeling, followed by air tamponade. Eyes with persistent holes underwent an additional intravitreal air injection within 1 week after surgery. The iMH closure rate and the best-corrected visual acuity were evaluated.

RESULTS

In all 30 eyes with an iMH diameter <400 µm, the iMH closed after the primary surgery; however, only 17 of 30 eyes with an iMH diameter of ≥400 µm closed after the primary surgery. For the 13 eyes with persistent holes, an additional intravitreal air injection resulted in successful hole closure. There was no significant difference in the best-corrected visual acuity at the final follow-up between the closed subgroup and the initially unclosed subgroup after closure.

CONCLUSION

Pars plana vitrectomy combined with air tamponade effectively cured small iMHs. For large iMHs not closed after the primary surgery, an additional intravitreal air injection resulted in hole closure and achieved a good prognosis.

Characteristics and management of macular hole developing after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair

PURPOSE

To report characteristics of patients developing full-thickness macular hole (MH) after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair surgery. We also compared patients developing MH with and without accompanying RRD recurrence regarding anatomical and visual outcomes of MH repair.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

METHODS

Medical records of patients who developed MH after RRD repair between January 2002 and January 2018 were reviewed.

RESULTS

We performed 1661 primary RRD operations during the study period and 14 of these developed MH, an incidence of 0.8%. Nine patients had their primary RRD repair surgery in another clinic and were referred to our clinic after development of MH. In total 23 patients with MH secondary to RRD repair were included in the study. The type of RRD repair surgery was scleral buckling only in 4 patients (17%), pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) only in 14 patients (61%), and sequential scleral buckling and PPV in 5 patients (22%). Nineteen patients (83%) had macula-off RRD. In 12 patients (52%), MH developed within 3 months after RRD repair. Surgery for MH repair was performed in 18 patients. Postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was better than preoperative BCVA in the group with RRD recurrence as well as in the group without RRD recurrence (both P < 0.05). There wasn't a significant difference between these groups regarding postoperative visual gain and anatomical success (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

MH can develop after various surgical methods of RRD repair. Anatomic closure and visual acuity gain can be achieved even if patients have accompanying RRD recurrence.