One year follow up of macular translocation with 360 degree retinotomy in patients with age related macular degeneration

• Published in: British journal of ophthalmology 2003-05, Vol.87 (5), p.615-621
• Main Authors: Abdel-Meguid, A, Lappas, A, Hartmann, K, Auer, F, Schrage, N, Thumann, G, Kirchhof, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: age related macular degeneration; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Care and treatment; choriodal neovascular membrane; Clinical Science; Female; Fluorescein Angiography - methods; Fovea Centralis - pathology; Humans; Intraoperative Complications - etiology; Macula Lutea - transplantation; Macular degeneration; Macular Degeneration - pathology; Macular Degeneration - surgery; macular translocation; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Pilot Projects; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Retina - surgery; Retinal Detachment - surgery; Retrospective Studies; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the eye and orbit; Treatment Outcome; Visual Acuity - physiology
• ISSN: 0007-1161; 1468-2079
• DOI: 10.1136/bjo.87.5.615

Aim: To evaluate the benefits of macular translocation with 360 degree retinotomy in patients with exudative age related macular degeneration (ARMD). Methods: A consecutive interventional case series was performed on patients who underwent macular translocation between June 1997 and January 2000 at the department of ophthalmology, University of Aachen, Germany. A retrospective pilot study was set up with a minimum follow up of 12 months in 39 consecutive patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation secondary to ARMD. The surgical technique included pars plana vitrectomy, induction of retinal detachment, 360 degree retinotomy, removal of the choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVM), macular translocation, peripheral laser retinopexy, and silicone oil endotamponade. Results: 18 patients showed predominantly occult CNVM, six patients had predominantly classic CNVM, and 15 showed subretinal haemorrhage. At the 12 month follow up 13 patients (33%) showed an improvement in visual acuity of more than three lines (logMAR scale), 18 patients (46%) retained stable visual acuity with a change of equal or less than three lines (logMAR scale), and eight patients (21%) showed a decrease in visual acuity of more than three lines (logMAR scale). Recurrence of CNVM was observed in three (8%) eyes at 5–11 months postoperatively. Other complications included proliferative vitreoretinopathy with retinal detachment (n=10), peripheral epiretinal membranes (n=9), macular pucker (n=2), corneal decompensation (n=2), and hypotony (n=11). 18 patients (46%) complained about persistent diplopia. Conclusion: Macular translocation surgery is able to maintain or improve distant vision in the majority of patients with exudative ARMD. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy and diplopia are the two major complications. A prospective randomised controlled trial comparing macular translocation with observation for patients with the occult form of exudative ARMD may be justified.