TRANSCONJUNCTIVAL NONVITRECTOMIZING VITREOUS SURGERY VERSUS 25-GAUGE VITRECTOMY IN PATIENTS WITH EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE: A Prospective Randomized Study.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To compare the clinical outcomes and the rate of complications of 27-gauge transconjunctival nonvitrectomizing vitreous surgery (NVS) and of 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy surgery for idiopathic epiretinal membrane removal.

METHODS:

In this prospective randomized study, 83 phakic eyes of 83 consecutive patients with an idiopathic epiretinal membrane were randomized to receive 27-gauge NVS (NVS-group) or 25-gauge vitrectomy (Standard-group). Main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, central retinal thickness, nuclear density units' changes, and rate of complications.

RESULTS:

Thirty-nine eyes of the Standard-group and 40 of the NVS-group were considered in final analysis. Mean best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly in both groups, with a significant better result at 12 months in NVS-group (P = 0.039; t-test). Central retinal thickness decreased significantly in both groups (P < 0.001, Tukey test), without significant difference between the two groups at any time point. At 12 months, nuclear density increased significantly in the Standard-group (analysis of variance, P < 0.001), and it did not change in the NVS-group (analysis of variance, P = 0.537). Epiretinal membrane recurred in 5.1% of eyes in the Standard-group and in 7.5% of eyes in the NVS-group (Fisher's exact test, P = 1.000).

CONCLUSION:

The 27-gauge NVS is an effective surgical procedure in eyes with epiretinal membrane and it induces less progression of nuclear sclerosis than 25-gauge vitrectomy.

• Authors: Michele Reibaldi, Antonio Longo, Teresio Avitabile, Vincenza Bonfiglio, Mario D Toro, Andrea Russo, Francesca Viti, Michele Nicolai, Andrea Saitta, Alfonso Giovannini, Cesare Mariotti
• Journal: Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Retina) Vol. 35 Issue 5 Pg. 873-9 (May 2015) ISSN: 1539-2864 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25526101 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Topics

• Aged
• Conjunctiva (surgery)
• Epiretinal Membrane (diagnosis, physiopathology, surgery)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Postoperative Complications
• Prospective Studies
• Recurrence
• Suture Techniques
• Visual Acuity (physiology)
• Vitrectomy
• Vitreous Body (surgery)