Sealed Unilateral Full-Thickness Macular Hole with Amniotic Membrane Graft in a Patient with Alport Syndrome: A Case Report

Abstract

We present a case of unilateral full-thickness macular hole (MH) successfully repaired with an amniotic membrane (AM) graft in a patient with Alport syndrome. A 58-year-old Asian female with past medical history of Alport syndrome diagnosed at early stage, presented with a 5-week history of vision loss in her right eye. Examination of her eyes showed normal retinal vessels and an MH measuring 1,300 μm in basal diameter, 806 μm in minimum linear diameter, and 490 μm in height in the right eye and macular thinning with laser scars inferiorly in the left eye. The patient underwent 23-g pars plana vitrectomy with intraocular lens explantation. After multiple unsuccessful attempts in inducing a posterior vitreous detachment around the optic nerve and in the posterior pole, a 1 mm AM graft placed on the MH and the edges tucked under the edges of the hole using a bimanual technique. Five months after surgery, the MH remained sealed with improved final vision. MHs are rare manifestations of Alport syndrome, and surgical treatment of Alport syndrome-associated MHs is challenging. However, further studies to explore new techniques using AM are needed.

Keywords

• alport syndrome
• macular hole
• amniotic membrane
• retina