Full-thickness macular holes after surgical repair of primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachments: incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes

The role of vitreous cortex remnants in secondary macular hole formation and spontaneous closure following vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

BACKGROUND

Macular hole (MH) formation after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery is rare, and in most cases, additional surgical procedures are required to repair MH. Spontaneous closure of the MH is even rarer. In this study, we aimed to report a series of cases of spontaneous closure of the secondary MH and provide a review of the literature.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected the cases of secondary MH formation following vitrectomy in RRD patients followed by spontaneous closure. Ophthalmological data at presentation and during follow-up were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

We reported a total of three RRD patients aged 31,67,12 years, including two females and one male. The three patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with either silicone oil tamponade or air tamponade. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed a second full-thickness MH formation with remnant vitreous cortex bridging in the macular region during early follow-up. Observations of the cases revealed subsequent remnant vitreous cortex traction remission and spontaneous closure of MH during follow-up, although with subsequent thin macular and abnormal macular structure.

CONCLUSION

The progression of secondary MH formation in the cases may be related to vitreomacular traction (VMT) by the posterior vitreous cortex remnant after PPV, and the release of VMT may help the spontaneous closure of the MH after PPV for RRD.

CHARACTERISTICS, OUTCOMES, AND OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY FEATURES OF MACULAR HOLE AFTER RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT REPAIR

PURPOSE

To investigate full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs) that develop after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair.

METHODS

Retrospective consecutive case series of patients who underwent RRD repair between 2015 and 2021 and subsequently developed FTMH. Twenty-three patients (23 eyes) were included. All eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy + membrane peel for macular hole (MH) repair.

RESULTS

The mean age at RRD diagnosis was 62 years and 52% were male. In total, 78% were macula-off RRDs. Fourteen eyes (60.9%) underwent pars plana vitrectomy alone, 7 (30.4%) underwent pars plana vitrectomy and scleral buckling, 1 (4.3%) underwent scleral buckling only, and 1 (4.3%) underwent pneumatic retinopexy. Median time from RRD repair to MH diagnosis was 116 days. Macula-off RRDs had a significantly lower time to MH diagnosis (mean 154 days, P < 0.05) than macula-on RRDs (mean 875 days). Twenty-one MH (91%) had optical coherence tomography evidence of an epiretinal membrane. Mean logMAR visual acuity at MH diagnosis was 1.05 (∼20/224) and significantly improved to 0.66 (∼20/91) at the final follow-up ( P < 0.001); 100% of MHs closed by the final follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Pars plana vitrectomy for MH after RRD repair has a high closure rate and leads to significant VA improvement. MH formation after RRD repair may be associated with macula-off detachments and epiretinal membrane. Macula-off RRDs develop MH faster than macula-on RRDs.

Characteristics and surgery outcomes of macular hole diagnosed after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair

PURPOSE

To report the characteristics and the visual and anatomical outcomes of secondary macular holes (SMHs) diagnosed after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair and their associated factors.

METHODS

Retrospective, interventional case series. All consecutive patients who were diagnosed with SMH after RRD repair at Beijing Tongren eye center from January 2016 to April 2021 were included. Patients who had their primary RRD repair in other hospitals and were referred to our center after diagnosis of SMH were also included. The minimum follow-up time after RRD repair was 6 months.

RESULTS

37 SMHs were diagnosed within a series of 5696 RRDs. Including 24 eyes referred from other hospitals after the diagnosis of SMH, 61 eyes were included. The type of primary RRD repair surgery included 22/61 (36%) eyes with scleral buckling procedure (SBP) and 39/61 (64%) eyes with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). 21/61 (34%) eyes had recurrent RD. The median time to SMH diagnosis was 150 days (range, 7 ~ 4380 days). Macular hole (MH) closure was achieved in 77% eyes. Visual acuity (VA) improvement of at least 2 lines of Snellen's visual acuity was observed in 51% eyes. Final MH closure status was associated with preoperative MH diameter (for every 50 μm increment) (P = 0.046, OR = 0.875, 95%CI: 0.767 ~ 0.998). VA improvement was associated with final MH closure status (P = 0.009, OR = 8.742, 95%CI: 1.711 ~ 44.672). Final VA (logMAR) was associated with recurrent RD (P < 0.001, B = 0.663, 95%CI: 0.390 ~ 0.935), preoperative MH diameter (P = 0.001, B = 0.038, 95%CI: 0.017 ~ 0.058), VA at the time of SMH diagnosis (P < 0.001, B = 0.783, 95%CI: 0.557 ~ 1.009) and final MH closure status (P = 0.024, B = -0.345, 95%CI: -0.644 ~ -0.046). For patients without recurrent RD, VA improvement and final VA was associated with final MH closure status (P = 0.016 and P < 0.001, respectively), while for patients with recurrent RD, VA improvement or final VA did not associate with final MH closure status (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

For SMH diagnosed after RRD repair, final MH closure status was associated with preoperative MH diameter. Recurrent RD, larger preoperative MH diameter, worse VA at the time of SMH diagnosis and failed MH closure are predictive factors for worse final VA. Visual outcome is associated with final MH closure status in patients without recurrent RD, but not as so in patients with recurrent RD.

Post-vitrectomy secondary macular holes: Risk factors, clinical features, and multivariate analysis of outcome predictors

Purpose

We report clinical characteristics, risk factors, treatment outcomes, and prognostic predictors of post-vitrectomy secondary macular holes (MHs).

Methods

This was a retrospective observational case series from November 2014 to December 2020. Eyes that developed secondary MH, two weeks and beyond after primary vitrectomy for non-MH indications, were enrolled. Pre- and intraoperative records were screened to exclude pre-existence of MH. Eyes with multiple vitreoretinal surgeries prior to MH detection and tractional myopic maculopathy were excluded.

Results

A total of 29 eyes of 29 patients with a mean age of 52 years developed secondary MH post-vitrectomy. The most common indications for primary vitrectomy were rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD, 48.2%) and tractional retinal detachment (TRD, 24.1%). Time to MH detection after primary vitrectomy was 91.5 ± 117.6 days. The mean minimum hole diameter was 530 ± 298 microns. Epi-retinal membrane and cystoid degeneration was noted in 6 (20.7%) and 12 (41.3%) eyes, respectively (p = 0.088). The mean time from MH detection to MH repair was 34 ± 42 days. The surgical intervention included internal limiting membrane peeling with tamponade in 25 eyes. Overall, 80% showed anatomic hole closure, 90.9% versus 57.1% in the RRD and TRD (p = 0.092), respectively. The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the final visit was 0.71 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution. Thirteen eyes (52%) had a BCVA of 20/100 or better. Minimal hole diameter (p = 0.029) only predicted final visual acuity. The interval between MH diagnosis and repair did not affect hole closure significantly (p = 0.064).

Conclusion

Secondary MH post-vitrectomy closed successfully with limited visual improvement and trails behind idiopathic MH.