Intraoperative iatrogenic retinal breaks in 23-gauge vitrectomy for stage 3 and stage 4 idiopathic macular holes

Optimized design of surgical steps in pars plana vitrectomy for macular hole retinal detachment in pathological myopia decreases rate of iatrogenic retinal break and shortens length of operation

BACKGROUND

To investigate the effect of surgical steps optimization in pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap for macular hole retinal detachment (MHRD) in pathological myopia.

METHODS

A retrospective, consecutive, nonrandomized comparative study. High myopic eyes diagnosed with MHRD receiving PPV with ILM flap from March 2019 to June 2020 in Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University were included in the study. Patients were included into two groups based on different design of surgical steps. In the routine group, extension of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) towards periphery was performed right after induction of PVD. In the experiment group, the retina was reattached with drainage of subretinal fluid through macular hole before peripheral vitreous was dealt with. Complete ophthalmic examinations were performed before and after surgery. The follow-up time was at least 6 months. The rate of iatrogenic retinal break and length of operation were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Thirty-one eyes from 31 patients were included in the study with 15 in the experiment group and 16 in the routine group. Demographics showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Post-op BCVA, rate of macular hole closure and rate of retinal reattachment were similar in the two groups. The rate of iatrogenic retinal break in the experiment group was significantly lower than that in the routine group (6.7% vs. 37.5%, P < 0.05). The average length of operation was 78.6 ± 18.8 min in the routine group and 64.0 ± 12.1 min in the experiment group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Optimized design of surgical steps in PPV for MHRD could effectively decrease the rate of iatrogenic retinal tear and shorten the length of operation.

Vitreous Opacity Vitrectomy (VOV): Safest Possible Removal of “Floaters”

Purpose

Primary opacities that develop in the aging vitreous, commonly termed “floaters,” were once considered merely a nuisance, not justifying any risk of surgical removal. However, vitreoretinal specialists are increasingly recognizing that extensive symptomatic vitreous opacities (SVO) that substantially interfere with activities that critically depend on vision (daily visual activities, DVA), constituting degenerative vitreous syndrome (DVS, see http://floaterstories.com), warrant removal albeit with minimal risk - but no description of how to reduce vitrectomy risks to least possible has been forthcoming. We here describe such a method.

Patients and Methods

The safest possible removal of extensive SVO as described herein was attained by an operation specifically designed for DVS treatment (vitreous opacity vitrectomy, VOV), rather than as only a means of achieving subsequent retinal surgery in the same procedure, as is usually the case. We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of 100 consecutive VOV operations (in 81 patients, average age 66) performed with ultra-high speed, 27-gauge vitrectomy probes.

Results

All eyes rapidly achieved continuously clear vision, and no eye developed a clinically significant complication during a year of follow-up. Three small, existent retinal breaks were discovered prior to peripheral vitrectomy and one apparently iatrogenic retinal tear was found at VOV completion, when each was treated. In the eyes that were not pseudophakic, postoperative nuclear sclerosis progression was successfully managed by subsequent cataract extraction.

Conclusion

The goals of VOV for DVS are to safely restore continuously clear vision by performing tractionless vitreous removal with respect to the retina and to reduce the lifetime risk of retinal detachment, both by such vitreous removal and by microscopic examination of the peripheral retina under anesthesia (MEPRUA), guiding appropriate prophylactic retinopexy. The otherwise healthy DVS eyes so treated warrant this specific form of vitrectomy, continually focused on achieving least possible risk, to maintain an acceptable risk/benefit ratio.

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Minimal internal limiting membrane peeling with ILM flap technique for idiopathic macular holes: a preliminary study

Background

Internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling increases the idiopathic macular hole (IMH) closure rate but causes the inner retina dimplings. This study is to introduce a method to minimally peel the ILM, and with the ILM flap to ensure the IMH closure.

Methods

Twelve consecutive IMH eyes were treated with the minimal ILM peeling with ILM flap technique. The ILM around the MH is peeled off in an annular shape with a width of approximately 200 to 300 μm. A tongue-shape ILM flap is created in the superior retina and the inferior margin of ILM is not peeled off. The ILM flap is then inverted to cover the MH, followed by fluid-air exchange and air or silicon tamponade. Spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and en face OCT for morphological assessment, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and multifocal electroretinogram (ERG) for functional evaluation were performed at baseline and at each postoperative follow-up.

Results

All the 12 eyes achieved macular hole closure on SD-OCT after surgery (100%). At baseline, the mean preoperative BCVA was 0.83 ± 0.33 and it improved to 0.39 ± 0.28 postoperatively (p <  0.001). En face OCT showed the inner retinal dimplings were localized only in superior ILM-free retinas (7 eyes). The mERG response density in the central (R1), para-central (R2), R1/R2 ring ratios were remarkably improved at the last follow-up (p = 0.001, p = 0.033, p = 0.018, respectively).

Conclusions

The minimal ILM peeling with ILM flap technique can achieve favorable MH closure with less inner retinal dimplings and has promising visual recovery for IMH eyes.