Posterior Subtenon Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection for Refractory Diabetic Macular Edema in Vitrectomized Eye

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of posterior subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in patients with refractory diabetic macular edema (DME) after vitrectomy. METHODS: Seventeen vitrectomized eyes in 16 patients with DME underwent a posterior subtenon injection of TA (40 mg/1.0 ml) and were followed-up for more than six months. Visual acuity (VA, logMAR) and central subfield macular thickness (CSMT, microm) according to optical coherent tomography were assessed at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after an injection of TA. RESULTS: The patients included four men and 12 women with an average age of 56.9 years. VA improved significantly from 0.70 +/- 0.33 (mean +/- SD) before injection to 0.56 +/- 0.24 one month and 0.54 +/- 0.21 three months after an injection of TA. Visual acuity at six months was 0.61 +/- 0.24 and had no significance (p = 0.17). CSMT decreased significantly from 469 +/- 145 before injection to 323 +/- 58, 343 +/- 100, and 389 +/- 156 one, three, and six months after an injection of TA, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior subtenon injection of TA is effective in the short-term for improving VA and CMT in patients with refractory diabetic macular edema after vitrectomy.