Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose:The aim of this study was determine whether pars plana vitrectomy and intravitreal triamcinolone in patients with diabetic maculopathy reduces macular thickness and volume as measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and improves visual acuity. Methods:A prospective pilot study of 7 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy with intraocular triamcinolone for diabetic macular oedema. Inclusion criteria were patients with persistent clinically significant macular oedema following at least one prior macular laser treatment. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the study eye was between 19 and 59 letters (Snellen equivalent of 3/60 and 6/18). Moderate – severe macular ischaemia and co–existing ocular disease were exclusion criteria. Patients had baseline examinations of BCVA, OCT, macular stereo photographs and fundus fluorescein angiography. Pars plana vitrectomy with intravitreal triamcinolone (4mg) performed and all patients were re–examined at 1 week, 1 month, 4months. Results: At one month the central macular thickness had dramatically reduced, decreasing from a preoperative median of 418 (285 – 590) to 195 (160–276). Visual acuity improved by at least 1 line of on the ETDRS chart. Conclusions: In this pilot study combined pars plana vitrectomy with intravitreal triamcinolone substantially reduces diabetic macular oedema.
Keywords: diabetes • vitreoretinal surgery • drug toxicity/drug effects