2MD, Trakya University, School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Edirne, Turkiye DOI : 10.37845/ret.vit.2022.31.25 Purpose: To evaluate the posterior vitreous release rates after a single injection of expansile gas in patients with focal vitreomacular traction (VMT) syndrome.
Materials and Methods: Thirteen eyes of 13 consecutive patients with focal symptomatic VMT were reviewed retrospectively. Intravitreal injection of 0.3 mL of pure perfluoropropane (C3F8) was performed. Patients were instructed to bob their head forwards and backwards similar to the head movements of a ?drinking bird? until VMT release. A full ophthalmic examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed at each visit.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 66.23±10.01. Seven patients (53.8%) were female, and 6 patients (46.2%) were male. VMT was released in 12 patients (93.7%), and the mean release time was 7.58 days (1-14 days). In two eyes (15.4%) with VMT associated with the full thickness macular hole (FTMH), the macular hole was not closed despite the posterior hyaloid release. The mean pre-treatment best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved significantly from 0.71±0.34 LogMAR to 0.54±0.28 LogMAR after the treatment (p=0.045). The mean central macular thickness (CMT) decreased significantly from 338.46±65.00 ?m to 282.77±62.26 ?m (p=0.013). In the preoperative period, the mean horizontal length of vitreomacular adhesion (HLVMA) was 691.92±268.24 ?m. No correlation was found between HLVMA and release time (p=0.828). No complications were observed.
Conclusions: Pneumatic vitreolysis is a relatively safe, minimally invasive and effective treatment option for symptomatic focal VMT syndrome.
Keywords : perfluoropropane; pneumatic vitreolysis, vitreomacular traction