SPONTANEOUS CLOSURE AND QUICK REOPENING OF A FULL THICKNESS IDIOPATHIC MACULAR HOLE

Abstract

Purpose: to report a quick spontaneous reopening of a spontaneously closed full thickness macular hole. Design: a retrospective case report study. Methods: A 68-year-old patient with stage III full thickness idiopathic macular hole in one eye was evaluated via funduscopy examination and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), with a follow-up of thirteen months. Results: Twelve days after first examination, OCT scans revealed the closure of the macular hole and a small Epiretinal Membrane (ERM). One month later, the patient was admitted to the emergency unit, complaining of progressive visual loss over the past three days. OCT examination showed a full thickness macular hole, very similar to the previously closed, and a progression of the ERM. The patient underwent pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling and removal of ERM. Surgical repair resulted in good functional and anatomic outcomes. Conclusion: The spontaneous reopening of a spontaneously closed macular hole is very uncommon, this being described in two cases in the literature. A rigorous follow-up is mandatory, as these macular holes can reopen very quickly, as it is shown in this case.

Keywords

• macular hole, spontaneous closure, spontaneous reopening, optical coherence tomography.