Air tamponade with inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique for macular hole retinal detachment in high myopia with posterior staphyloma

Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the effect of vitrectomy with inverted internal limiting membrane(ILM)flap technique and air tamponade in high myopic eyes with macular hole retinal detachment(MHRD).METHODS: A retrospective, noncomparative study of high myopia patients with MHRD was conducted. In all cases, triamcinolone acetonide was used to visualize the vitreous during vitrectomy. After ILM was inverted, a venous blood clot was placed on the inverted ILM flap and air was used as tamponade. Macular hole closure rate, retinal reattachment rate, and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA)were assessed after the surgery.RESULTS: Twenty-four eyes of 24 high myopia patients with MHRD were included in this study. The patients were followed up for at least 6mo, averaging 13.58±7.00mo. At last follow up,macular hole(MH)was closed in 21 eyes(88%)and retina was reattached in 20 eyes(83%). Seventeen eyes(71%)had both complete MH closure and retinal reattachment. Three eyes(13%)had complete reattached retina with unclosed MH, while 4 eyes(17%)had persistent subretinal fluid with closed MH. No additional pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)was performed. BCVA(LogMAR)was significantly improved at last follow up(0.65±0.34 vs 1.36±0.49, P<0.001). An improvement in BCVA of 2 or more lines was achieved in 12 eyes(50%).CONCLUSION:Vitrectomy combined with inverted ILM flap, autologous blood transplantation and air tamponate is an effective treatment for MHRD in myopic eyes.

Keywords

• internal limiting membrane
• macular hole
• high myopia
• retinal detachment
• vitrectomy