Evaluation of Ab externo subretinal bands removal during pars plana vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

BACKGROUND: To compare the safety and efficacy of Ab-externo subretinal bands removal in comparison with the classical Ab-interno approach during pars plana vitrectomy for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. METHODS: Subjects aged 28-62 years with primary RRD complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) with subretinal bands interfering with retinal flattening were treated by pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and silicone oil injection. Subretinal bands were removed using the classical AB interno approach through one or more retinotomies in ten patients (group A) and using AB externo approach in twenty cases (group B). Post-operative follow-up visits occurred at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months, after surgery. The main outcomes were assessment of subretinal bands removal efficacy, documentation of complications, anatomical reattachment rate, and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding patients' age, gender, lens status, and the onset of retinal detachment. Seventy percent of both groups presented with inferior retinal detachment while ten percent presented with temporal detachments and twenty percent had a total retinal detachment. Both groups had a statistically significant improvement in postoperative visual acuity in comparison with preoperative visual acuity (P = 0.005 for group A and P = < 0.001 for group B). There was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding preoperative (P = 0.928) and postoperative (P = 0.185) visual acuity. A higher incidence of complications was reported in group A (40%) in comparison with group B (30%) but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.69). More Epimacular membranes were seen postoperatively in group A (30%) in comparison with group B (20%) but again this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.657). Subretinal hemorrhage was seen in ten percent of cases in both groups. Intraocular pressure was measured in every follow-up of all patients in both groups, no statistically significant difference was found between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Both techniques are effective and safe to remove subretinal bands with similar outcomes.

One-year results of switching to aflibercept for persistent diabetic macular edema resistant to bevacizumab.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional and anatomical effects of switching from bevacizumab to aflibercept in patients with persistent diabetic macular edema (DME) resistant to bevacizumab. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with DME refractory to bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) were subsequently switched to aflibercept. The included patients received five loading doses of intravitreal aflibercept (2 mg/0.05 mL) given monthly. After the loading dose, aflibercept was injected every 2 months. The follow-up duration was 1 year. RESULTS: The study consisted of 37 eyes of 37 patients. The mean age of the participants was 56.81 ± 7.11 years. The mean central macular thickness at baseline was 428.32 ± 84.89 µm, which decreased significantly to 275.54 ± 50.24 µm (P < 0.003). There was a significant improvement in the mean best-corrected logMAR visual acuity from 0.627 ± 0.307 at baseline to 0.203 ± 0.235 (P < 0.017) at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Aflibercept is effective in patients with persistent DME not responsive to bevacizumab.

Human Amniotic Membrane Plug for Macular Holes Coexisting with Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of human amniotic membrane in promoting closure of macular holes coexisting with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series of 14 eyes (14 patients) with macula off retinal detachment. These patients had a macular hole coexistent with peripheral retinal breaks. A human amniotic membrane plug was used to close the macular hole during vitrectomy without ILM peeling. RESULTS: The mean preoperative BCVA (logMAR value) was 1.87 ± 0.31. At the 6-month follow-up visit, the mean LogMAR best-corrected visual acuity was 0.67 ± 0.17. At the 6-month follow-up, all patients showed complete retinal reattachment with macular hole closure. CONCLUSION: The use of human amniotic membrane is a valid option in surgery for macular holes coexisting with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

The Pigtail Sign: A New Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Finding After Inverted ILM Flap Surgery for Idiopathic Macular Hole.

PURPOSE: To report a new spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) finding called the pigtail sign. It was found during follow-up of idiopathic macular hole cases after inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap surgery. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series of 12 eyes (12 patients) who underwent inverted ILM flap technique for idiopathic macular hole closure. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography images were analyzed for the presence of this new finding. RESULTS: A new spectral domain OCT finding of a curved coiled line hanging above the surface of the retinal layers was seen in all patients. The mean preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) logMAR value was 1.25 ± 0.11. At the 6-month follow-up visit, the mean LogMAR BCVA was 0.35 ± 0.18. All the cases showed macular hole closure after surgery. CONCLUSION: This new spectral domain OCT sign can be seen in some OCT scans during follow-up of idiopathic macular hole cases after inverted ILM flap surgery.

Aflibercept plus micropulse laser versus aflibercept monotherapy for diabetic macular edema: 1-year results of a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of adjuvant micropulse laser with aflibercept injections in the management of treatment naive center involving DME, looking at decreased treatment burden and increased efficacy as outcomes after 1 year. METHODS: This was a prospective, single center, randomized trial that included 40 eyes (40 patients) with previously untreated center involved DME. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either aflibercept plus micropulse laser (group A) or aflibercept monotherapy (group B). RESULTS: Overall, 40 patients were included in the study; they were randomized into either group A (aflibercept + micropulse; 20 patients) or group B (aflibercept monotherapy; 20 patients). The mean number of injections after the loading dose was 4.5 ± 1.4 in group A and was 5.4 ± 1.7 in group B, and the difference between both groups was statistically significant (P = 0.029). CONCLUSION: Adding 577-nm micropulse laser to aflibercept is effective for treatment naïve DME and is associated with decreased number of injections.

Submacular Injection of Ranibizumab as a New Surgical Treatment for Refractory Diabetic Macular Edema.

PURPOSE: In this study, we describe a new surgical technique for the treatment of refractory DME. The technique consists of vitrectomy with ILM peeling with a subretinal injection of ranibizumab. METHODS: This is a prospective interventional noncomparative study including patients with refractory DME. Included patients were subjected to the new surgical technique of pars plana vitrectomy with subretinal injection of ranibizumab. RESULTS: The study included 19 eyes with refractory macular edema, in which this novel technique was attempted. There were 10 males and 9 females. The age of the patients ranged from 17 to 67 years with a mean of 55.58 ± 13.242 years. The duration of diabetes before enrollment in the study ranged from 7 to 25 years with a mean of 16.3 years. Preoperatively, the mean CMT of the eyes ranged from 352 to 883 microns with mean ± SD of 498.58 ± 152.16 microns. Postoperatively, this improved significantly to 373.5 ± 100.3, 355.9 ± 89.8, and 365.74 ± 120.12 microns at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively (p ≤ 0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: This novel surgical procedure of vitrectomy with ILM peeling with a subretinal injection of ranibizumab is effective in cases of refractory DME. The study has been registered in Contact ClinicalTrials.gov PRS Identifier: NCT03975088.

Modified technique of internal limiting membrane staining in idiopathic macular hole surgery.

PURPOSE: To describe a new method of ILM staining with TB under perfluorocarbon in cases of full thickness idiopathic macular hole using the inverted ILM flap technique. METHODS: This study was a prospective interventional case series that included 42 eyes of 42 patients who had full thickness idiopathic macular hole with a minimum diameter more than 400 µm. Patients consecutively underwent vitrectomy with inverted ILM flap technique using the modified ILM staining method. RESULTS: Anatomic success was achieved in 40 patients (95.2%). The other two patients had flat-open macular holes with bare RPE (foveal defect of neurosensory retina). Among the 40 eyes with closed holes, 25 eyes were of the U-type closure (normal foveal contour) and 15 eyes were of the V-type closure (steep foveal contour). These 40 eyes remained closed during the 6 months follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The modified technique of ILM staining using TB under PFCL is safe and effective in cases of idiopathic macular hole combined with the inverted ILM flap technique.