Long-term outcome of idiopathic macular hole surgery

PURPOSE

To evaluate the role of preoperative macular hole (MH) diameter, cataract surgery, and cystoid macular edema (CME) in the reopening of idiopathic macular hole (IMH) after initially successful surgery.

DESIGN

Multicenter, retrospective, comparative case series.

METHODS

One hundred and thirty patients (135 eyes) with stage 2, 3, or 4 IMH were included after successful IMH repair at Dijon University Hospital or Nancy University Hospital. The eyes were separated into 4 groups according to the lens status: group 1, vitrectomy in pseudophakic eyes; group 2, vitrectomy and cataract extraction as a combined procedure; group 3, vitrectomy followed by cataract extraction; group 4, vitrectomy on eyes that remained phakic. All patients underwent a complete vitrectomy with retinal inner limiting membrane peeling and intraocular gas tamponade. The main outcome measures were IMH closure rate and best-corrected visual acuity.

RESULTS

Mean duration of symptoms was 8.6 +/- 7.6 months. The follow-up was 37 +/- 8.6 months (range, 30 to 67 months). The mean preoperative IMH diameter was 454 +/- 191 mum. No MH reopened during the follow-up after the initial vitreous surgery. Seven cases of CME were observed (1 in groups 1 and 2; 5 in group 3), and cataract surgery was performed in the 53 patients in group 3 with a mean delay of 11.6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Cataract extraction, CME, or preoperative MH diameter measured by optical coherence tomography were not identified as risk factors for IMH reopening.

[Vitreoretinal outpatient surgery: clinical and financial considerations]

INTRODUCTION

Vitreoretinal surgery has benefited from great advances opening the opportunity for outpatient management.

METHODS

We report on the 6-month experience of outpatient surgery for vitreoretinal diseases.

RESULTS

From November 2007 to April 2008, 270 patients benefited from a vitreoretinal surgery, with 173 retinal detachments, 63 epiretinal membranes, and 34 other procedures. Only 8.5% (n=23) of the patients had to stay at the hospital one or two nights. The main reasons were the distance from the hospital and surgery on a single-eye patient. The questionnaire given after the surgery showed that almost all the patients were satisfied with the outpatient setting. In contrast, the financial results showed a loss of income of around 400,000 euros due to the low level of payment of outpatient surgery in France by the national health insurance system.

DISCUSSION

Vitreoretinal surgery can be achieved in outpatient surgery with an improvement in the information given to the patients and the overall organization of the hospitalization. However, the current income provided with vitreoretinal outpatient surgery is highly disadvantageous in France, preventing this method from being generalized.

The learning curve for primary vitrectomy without scleral buckling for pseudophakic retinal detachment

BACKGROUND

To assess the functional and anatomical outcome of primary vitrectomy without scleral buckling for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in pseudophakic patients and to present the learning curve for this surgery in less experienced surgeons.

METHODS

We reviewed the charts of pseudophakic patients treated with primary vitrectomy without scleral buckling for a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with PVR<C in two academic centres by four surgeons (two more experienced and two less experienced surgeons) for 1 year. The primary endpoint was the reattachment rate with a single procedure by less experienced and more experienced surgeons. Then, to assess the learning curve of this treatment, we compared the results obtained in consecutive pseudophakic patients by less experienced surgeons at the beginning and after a 2-year training period.

RESULTS

First, 133 patient charts with a minimum follow-up of 6 months were included. Retinal reattachment was achieved with a single surgery in 75.2% for all surgeons. This rate was 80.9% for more experienced surgeons compared to 70% for less experienced surgeons (p = 0.37). In another series of 239 patients operated on by less experienced surgeons, the success rate obtained at the beginning of the training period for less experienced surgeons significantly increased after 2 years (from 66.7% to 80%, p < 0.049).

CONCLUSION

Primary vitrectomy without scleral buckling is an effective procedure to treat pseudophakic retinal detachment. Less experienced surgeons need sufficient time to achieve acceptable success rates, reflecting the learning curve for this procedure.

Comparison of face-down and seated position after idiopathic macular hole surgery: a randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE

To compare two therapeutic modalities on anatomic and functional results after idiopathic macular hole (MH) surgery: seated vs face-down position.

DESIGN

Multicenter, prospective, randomized trial.

METHODS

SETTING

University Hospital Dijon and University Hospital Nancy.

PATIENTS

One hundred and forty-four patients (150 eyes) were enrolled and randomly separated into two groups for postoperative position: for the 72 eyes in the P0 group and the 78 eyes in the P1 group, the patients were asked to keep the seated (P0 group) and the face-down position (P1 group) after the idiopathic MH surgery.

INTERVENTION

All patients underwent a complete vitrectomy with a fluid-air exchange and an intraocular gas tamponade. After the surgery, patients were asked to keep one of the two randomly chosen positions for five days.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Best-corrected visual acuity (VA), fundus examination, and macular optical coherence tomography were performed before and six months after surgery.

RESULTS

The overall anatomic success rate was 92.7%. The idiopathic MH sealed in 63 of 72 P0 eyes (87.5%) and 76 of 78 P1 eyes (97.4%) (P = .027). The mean VA increased from 0.86 to 0.61 logMAR (0.88 to 0.61 in P0 and 0.84 to 0.60 in P1). However, in a post hoc analysis based on the size of the idiopathic MH, the success rate in idiopathic MHs smaller than 400 microm was not influenced by the postoperative position (P = .47).

CONCLUSIONS

A face-down postoperative position is highly recommended in holes larger than 400 microm. The size of the idiopathic MH seems to be an important factor affecting outcome.

Incidence of retinal detachment after macular surgery: a retrospective study of 634 cases

AIMS

To evaluate the rate of retinal detachment after macular surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective non-randomised study of 634 macular surgery procedures was undertaken in two academic centres. Idiopathic macular hole (IMH) surgery (n = 272) and epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery (n = 362) were performed between 2000 and 2003. We noted the anatomical and functional results of these procedures and we studied serious complications excluding cataract.

RESULTS

Minimum follow up was 1 year. No retinal detachment (RD) occurred in patients presenting with an intraoperative or preoperative successfully treated retinal break (RB). The rate of RD occurring after IMH surgery was higher than after the ERM surgical procedure (6.6% vs 2.5%, p = 0.02). The rate of RD was higher in patients presenting with stage 2 and 3 IMH than with stage 4 IMH. However, lens status as well as preoperatively treated RD did not influence the rate of RD after macular surgery.

CONCLUSION

Retinal detachment remains the most common serious complication of macular surgery. Surgical detachment of the posterior vitreous face and associated peripheral retina anomaly seem to increase the rate of this complication. Careful examination of the peripheral retina is a key issue in preventing retinal detachment occurring after macular surgery.