Optical coherence tomography on autologous translocation of choroid and retinal pigment epithelium in age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To analyse structural changes after autologous translocation of choroid and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: We performed a prospective nonrandomised study in 29 consecutive patients, who underwent submacular surgery with translocation of an autologous full-thickness graft of RPE, Bruch's membrane, and choroid. All patients had recent loss of reading vision due to AMD. OCT was performed before surgery and at 3- and 6- month follow-up to analyse the morphological appearance of the graft and the overlying retina. RESULTS: Maximum retinal thickness decreased from mean 408 microm (standard deviation (SD) 127 microm) preoperative to mean 373 microm (SD 104 microm) at 6-month follow-up (P=0.094). In 11 cases (40%), a nearly physiological shape of the retina was seen at this time point. A macular hole persisted in two eyes after silicone oil removal. In most eyes, the highly reflective band of the graft presumably corresponding to RPE was continuous with the surrounding RPE band in all six OCT scans. Eyes with flat appearance of the graft at 6-month follow-up (<300 microm) showed a significantly better functional outcome than eyes with more prominent grafts. Interestingly, most patients did not complain about metamorphopsia, even though the graft was prominent or wrinkled in some cases. CONCLUSION: OCT is a useful tool in monitoring intra- and subretinal changes after subretinal surgery with graft translocation. We demonstrated that graft translocation may lead to a normalisation of retinal thickness and stabilisation of visual acuity.

[Surgical treatment of diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy]. / Chirurgische Therapie der diabetischen Retinopathie und Makulopathie.

Surgical therapy of diabetic retinopathy has been refined since the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS). ETDRS did not perform panretinal photocoagulation at the time of surgery, which is currently considered a major part of vitrectomy, e.g., in vitreous hemorrhage. Despite improved surgical techniques, patient expectations and surgical outcome still differ considerably in severe cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In this review of the literature we discuss the current surgical options and indications in diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy.