ABSTRACT
Sub?macular hemorrhage poses a potential threat to vision if left untreated. The preferred surgical technique to clear sub?macular hemorrhage includes vitrectomy followed by retinotomy using a 41G needle with subsequent injection of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r?tPA) followed by air/SF6 injection into the sub?retinal space. A malleable nature, increased resistance, and the cost of the 41G needle limit its use. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a 26G needle for retinotomy as a supplement for the 41G needle in a series of six subjects with sub?macular hemorrhage. A slight modification in the procedure was done by injecting air into the sub?retinal space prior to the r?tPA injection. We found that our technique of using the 26G needle for retinotomy is safe and effective due to its stable nature and self?sealing properties. An air injection prior to r?tPA allows for increased bioavailability of the drug by preventing efflux due to its tamponading effect.