Effect of inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique on small-medium size macular holes

Inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap technique was developed to achieve macular hole (MH) closure in large MH and refractory cases. In this study, we evaluate the effect of the technique for small-medium size MH. We recruited patients who underwent vitrectomy for small-medium size (< 400 μm) MH with either inverted ILM flap technique (flap group) or with conventional ILM peeling (peeling group). Using propensity score, 21 eyes of 21 patients in the peeling group were matched against 21 eyes of 21 patients in the flap group. We compared MH closure rate, postoperative visual acuity, and recovery of the external limiting membrane (ELM) and ellipsoid zone (EZ). The MH closure rate was not different between the two groups (flap vs peeling: 90% vs 100%, P = 0.49). Whereas there was no significant difference in visual acuity improvement between the two groups, the flap group showed more disruption of the ELM 3 months after surgery and of the EZ at 3 and 6 months after surgery (P = 0.02, P = 0.03, and P = 0.04, respectively). The result suggested that inverted ILM flap technique does not have additional benefits for small-medium size MHs and may delay recovery of retinal integrity.

Efficacy of fovea-sparing internal limiting membrane peeling for epiretinal membrane foveoschisis

Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of vitrectomy with fovea-sparing internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling (FSIP) for epiretinal membrane foveoschisis based on new optical coherence tomography definitions. Methods: 27 eyes of 28 patients (67.2 ± 10.5 years old) who underwent vitrectomy with FSIP without gas tamponade for epiretinal membrane foveoschisis were included. All patients underwent follow-up examinations for at least 12 months. In the FSIP technique, the ILM is peeled off in a donut shape, preserving the foveal ILM. The logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and surgical complications were examined. Results: The BCVA at 12 months improved significantly from baseline (p < 0.001). Baseline ellipsoid zone defects were found in 3 eyes (10%), and all defective eyes had recovered at 12 months. CMT decreased significantly from baseline (p < 0.001). Acute macular edema, full-thickness macular hole, and recurrence of epiretinal membrane were not observed during follow-up. Conclusion: FSIP achieved good visual outcome and retinal morphological change. Moreover, FSIP might avoid acute macular edema in epiretinal membrane foveoschisis surgery.

Long-Term Observations of Thickness Changes of Each Retinal Layer following Macular Hole Surgery

Purpose. To determine the long-term changes of the thickness of each retinal layer following macular hole (MH) surgery combined with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. Method. The medical records of 42 eyes of 42 patients (41 to 86 years of age) who underwent MH surgery with ILM peeling between February 2016 and October 2018 were reviewed. A single surgeon operated on all patients, and all were followed for at least 24 months postoperatively. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed to obtain retinal thickness maps of the parafoveal region corresponding approximately to the ILM peeled area. Each retinal layer was automatically segmented by the embedded software, and thickness maps were constructed for the total retinal layer (TRL), inner RL (IRL), middle RL (MRL), and outer RL (ORL). The averaged value of each retinal layer thickness was analyzed in the temporal/upper, temporal/lower, nasal/upper, and nasal lower quadrants. Results. The TRL thickness was significantly decreased in the temporal areas postoperatively. The IRL thickness thinned progressively and significantly until 6 months without further thinning in the temporal quadrants. The MRL thickness of all areas was significantly thicker than the baseline values at 0.5 months and then gradually decreased in the temporal regions. However, the thickening in the nasal regions returned to the baseline values after 1.5 months. The ORL decreased transiently relative to the baseline values at 0.5 months in all areas. Conclusions. The ILM peeling does not affect only the thickness of the inner retina but also the middle and outer retinae in the parafoveal region. The chronological changes of the thickness after surgeries varied among the retinal layers and macular regions.

Modern vitreoretinal interventions in the treatment of diabetic maculopathy: delicacy or maximalism?

Background. Diabetic retinopathy, one of the major complications of diabetes, is one of the leading causes of low vision and blindness. One of the main causes of decreased central vision in patients with diabetic retinopathy and type 2 diabetes mellitus is diabetic maculopathy (DMP). DMP with possible development of diabetic maculopathy edema can be detected even in patients with initial changes in the fundus. The purpose was to investigate the safety profile and effectiveness of various modern vitreoretinal interventions in the treatment of diabetic maculopathy. Materials and methods. We observed 313 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (313 eyes) with DMP and initial (group I; n = 40), moderate-to-severe non-proliferative (group II; n = 92) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (group III; n = 181). All patients underwent conventional ophthalmological examinations. Three hundred and thirteen patients (313 eyes) who underwent surgical treatment were divided into 4 observation groups: group 1 — 78 people (78 eyes) who underwent pars plana vitrectomy 25G (PPV); group 2 — 85 individuals (85 eyes) who underwent PPV and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling; group 3 — 81 patients (81 eyes) who underwent PPV, ILM peeling and panretinal photocoagulation (PPC); group 4 — 69 people (69 eyes) who underwent PPV, ILM peeling, PPC and phacoemulsification. The nature and frequency of surgical, postoperative complications and the effectiveness of different vitreoretinal interventions were studied. Terms of observation were 1, 3, 6 months and 1 year after surgery. Results. The effectiveness of different vitreoretinal interventions was studied 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. High efficiency of intervention for all types of vitrectomy is established. Modern vitreoretinal interventions in the treatment of DMP and diabetic maculopathy edema is effective after 1 month in 60.7, 82.4, 85.2 and 68.12 % of cases, and after one year — in 76.0, 75.0, 73.1 and 73.5 %, respectively. The recurrence rate of DMP one year after vitreoretinal interventions was 24.0–27.0 % and did not depend on their modification. The effectiveness of DMP treatment depended on the stage of diabetic retinopathy and was 72.5 % in the initial non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 77.2 % with moderate-to-severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 66.3 % with proliferative diabetic retino-pathy. Recurrences of DMP were divided into three types: early transient, early persistent and late. The most frequent were early persistent relapses, which ranged from 16.1 to 25.6 % taking into account different methods of treatment. Conclusions. All stages of surgery must be strictly justified. The risks of each stage of the intervention should always be considered to obtain optimal functional results, especially in the long-term follow-up.

Modified Superior Inverted Internal Limiting Membrane Flap Technique With Vitrectomy Versus Vitrectomy With Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling For Retinal Detachment With Myopic Macular Hole

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of the modified superior inverted internal limiting (ILM) membrane flap technique in retinal reattachment, macular hole closure and external retinal layers restoration in macular hole associated retinal detachment compared to ILM peeling. Methods: Retrospective case series of 10 patients that required pars plana vitrectomy for retinal detachment with macular hole followed for more than 12 months. Data from medical records were retrospectively collected and patients were divided into the superior inverted flap (5 patients) and ILM peeling group (5 patients). We compared best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after surgery, retinal attachment, macular hole closure rate and external retinal layer restoration between groups. Results: There were significant improvements in BCVA in both groups before and after surgery, with no differences between the two groups at 12 months after surgery (p = 0.9). The macular hole closed in 100% of cases in the inverted flap group and 80% of the ILM peeling group with no significant differences between groups. The retina was reattached in 100% of cases in both groups. Only 2 patients in the inverted flap group (40%) had external retinal layer restoration and none in ILM peeling group (p=0,62). Conclusions: ILM peeling and superior inverted flap techniques are useful for treating retinal detachment with macular hole in myopic eyes.

ILM removal in vitreomacular interface disorders: for or against?

Purpose. To provide data on efficacy and safety of internal limiting membrane (ILM) removal in various pathologies of the vitreomacular interface. Material and methods. To perform the review, literature sources were searched through the PubMed and Scopus databases up to year 2021 using the keywords "internal limiting membrane peeling", "macular hole", "epiretinal membrane". A total of 38 articles relevant to the topic of the review were selected. Results. Numerous studies have confirmed the efficacy of internal limiting peeling in improving anatomical and functional outcomes of treatment of various pathologies. However, even a flawlessly performed peeling can cause both anatomical and functional effects on the retina. Various studies have demonstrated that the anatomical complications of ILM peeling did not correlate with the functional outcomes of surgery. Conclusion. Available evidence supports ILM peeling as an intervention that improves anatomical and functional results of treatment and reduces rate of reoperation. However, in order to evaluate the safety of this procedure, further studies with an assessment of the visual function with a long follow-up period are required. Key words: internal limiting membrane, peeling, macular hole, epiretinal membrane

Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling and Flap Inverting under Air in Large Idiopathic Macular Hole Surgery

Purpose. To evaluate the efficacy of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling combined with modified flap inverting under air in the treatment of large idiopathic macular hole (MH). Methods. Eyes with a large idiopathic MH (minimum diameter >550 μm) were included in this study. The surgical procedure included standard 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), ILM peeling, complete fluid-gas exchange, and ILM flap inversion under air. The patients underwent follow-up exam including optical coherence tomography (OCT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement. Results. Sixteen eyes from 16 patients were included. Mean MH diameter was 681.43 ± 112.12 μm. After a mean follow-up time of 6.25 ± 2.65 months, in all cases, the MH was closed, and the ILM flap could be seen at the inner surface of the fovea. U-shaped and V-shaped MH closure was achieved in 11 and 5 cases, respectively. The BCVA improved significantly from 1.49 ± 0.35 logMAR to 0.89 ± 0.35 logMAR ( p < 0.05 ), and visual acuity of 20/100 or better was achieved in 8 eyes. Conclusion. ILM flap inverting under air was helpful in improving the functional and anatomic outcomes of vitrectomy for large idiopathic MH.

INTRAOPERATIVE BREAKAGE OF A REUSED 25 GAUGE ILM PEELING FÓRCEPS

A 59 years male presented with painless diminution of vision in right eye for 4 months. His vision was 20/100 in right eye and 20/30 in left eye. Fundus examination revealed epiretinal membrane in right eye with central macular thickness of 747 μm for which he underwent 25 guage pars plana vitrectomy. Intraoperatively after internal limiting membrane peeling, during removal of the pieces of the membrane from the forceps with the endoilluminator pipe, accidentally one blade from the tip of ILM peeling forceps broke. In this report, we describe first case of inadvertent intraoperative fracture of 25- gauge Grieshaber DSP End-Grasping ILM forceps in a case of ERM who underwent vitrectomy and removal of ERM with successful removal of fractured tip of ILM forceps.

Displacement of the retina after idiopathic macular hole surgery with different internal limiting membrane peeling patterns

AIM: To explore retinal displacement after surgical treatment for idiopathic macular hole (IMH) with different internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling patterns. METHODS: Totally 22 eyes from 20 patients with IMH were randomly allocated into two groups, N-T group (11 eyes) and T-N group (11 eyes). For patients in N-T group, ILM was peeled off from nasal to temporal retina. For patients in T-N group, ILM was peeled off from temporal to nasal retina. Preoperative, postoperative 1, 3, and 6mo, autofluorescence fundus images were collected for manual measurement of distances of fixed nasal (N), temporal (T), superior (S), and inferior (I) retinal points (bifurcation or crossing of retinal vessels) around the macula to the optic disc (OD). These were respectively defined as N-OD, T-OD, S-OD, and I-OD. The retinal displacement, macular hole closure rate, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were compared between the two groups after surgery. RESULTS: At postoperative 1, 3, and 6mo, the macula slipped toward the OD, manifested by the decreased T-OD, N-OD, S-OD, and I-OD (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in the T-OD, N-OD, S-OD, and I-OD between N-T group and T-N group. IMH closure rate was 100% both in N-T group and T-N group. There was no significant difference in BCVA between two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The macula slips toward the OD after successful macular hole surgery. The two different ILM peeling pattern show similar visual outcome and retinal displacement, which means ILM peeling directions are not the influencing factor of postoperative retinal displacement.

Vitrectomy for diabetic macular edema and the relevance of external limiting membrane

Purpose To evaluate the relevance of external limiting membrane (ELM) on the visual and morphological results in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) that underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with epiretinal membrane (ERM) and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. Methods Medical records of patients with DME who underwent PPV at our unit between January 2017 and December 2019 were reviewed. We assessed preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT) using spectral domain OCT (optical coherence tomography). Exclusion criteria were previous PPV; incomplete data; concomitant diseases including retinal vein occlusion, age-related macular degeneration, uveitis; and a follow-up of less than 12 months. The surgeries were performed using 23- or 27-gauge vitrectomy. The ELM was graded depending on its configuration (grade 0 = intact, grade 1 to 3: disruption of varying extent). Results Ninety-nine eyes were enrolled. The postoperative follow up averaged 23.7 months. The preoperative and final BCVA averaged 0.71 ± 0.28 and 0.52 ± 0.3 logMAR, respectively (p = 0.002). The CMT averaged 515.2 ± 209.1 μm preoperatively and 327 ± 66.1 μm postoperatively (p = 0.001). Eyes with intact ELM (n = 8) had a significantly better BCVA compared to those with ELM disruption (0.28 ± 0.14 vs. 0.7 ± 0.25 logMAR, p = 0.01). The final CMT was similar among the groups (intact ELM: 317 ± 54.6 μm; ELM disruption: 334 ± 75.2, p = 0.31). Conclusions PPV with ERM and ILM peeling is an effective treatment of DME. Eyes with intact ELM preoperatively had a significantly better final visual outcome. To maximize the benefit for patients with DME we recommend early PPV as long as ELM is intact.