Skip to main content
PMC home page
The British Journal of Ophthalmology logoLink to The British Journal of Ophthalmology
. 1996 Apr;80(4):323–326. doi: 10.1136/bjo.80.4.323

Results of surgery for epiretinal membranes and their recurrences.

R Grewing 1, U Mester 1
PMCID: PMC505458  PMID: 8703883

Abstract

AIMS/BACKGROUND: This study was performed to identify factors predictive for recurrence of idiopathic and secondary epiretinal membranes after vitrectomy. Long term visual outcome was determined and compared with eyes without recurrence of epiretinal tissue. METHODS: Out of 350 consecutive cases vitrectomised for removal of epiretinal macular membranes, 42 patients (42 eyes) with recurrence of epiretinal membranes were re-examined and their records reviewed. Recurrence of epiretinal membranes was determined by new appearance of epiretinal tissue or abnormal sheen of the central retina. The preoperative findings, best postoperative and final visual acuity of these patients were compared with a comparable cohort of eyes without recurrence after removal of macular pucker (131 eyes). The eligibility criterion was a follow up of at least 6 months. RESULTS: The best postoperative (0.46 (SD 0.24)) and the final visual acuity (0.39 (0.26)) of eyes with recurrent membranes (42 eyes) was statistically better than preoperative vision (0.27 (0.22)) (p = 0.0003 and 0.0089). Because of reduced or distorted vision eight of the 42 eyes underwent a revitrectomy during the follow up (mean 23 months). Best postoperative visual acuity (0.50 (0.21)) and final visual acuity (0.47 (0.25)) of eyes which received a second vitrectomy (n = 8) were not statistically different from the 32 eyes with recurrence of epiretinal tissue but without revitrectomy (p = 0.253 and 0.343). In addition, eyes with recurrence showed no different visual outcome compared with eyes without recurrence of epiretinal membranes after vitrectomy (p = 0.84). Recurrence of epiretinal membranes was correlated with neither the type of membrane (thick or thin) nor incomplete membrane removal during pars plana vitrectomy. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the overall favourable visual prognosis of patients with vitrectomy for macular pucker, even with recurrence of the premacular membrane.

Full text

PDF
323

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Appiah A. P., Hirose T., Kado M. A review of 324 cases of idiopathic premacular gliosis. Am J Ophthalmol. 1988 Nov 15;106(5):533–535. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(88)90581-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Grewing R., Mester U. Linsentrübungen nach Pars-plana-Vitrektomie bei diabetischer Vitreoretinopathie und Macular pucker. Fortschr Ophthalmol. 1990;87(5):440–442. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Maguire A. M., Smiddy W. E., Nanda S. K., Michels R. G., de la Cruz Z., Green W. R. Clinicopathologic correlation of recurrent epiretinal membranes after previous surgical removal. Retina. 1990;10(3):213–222. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Margherio R. R., Cox M. S., Jr, Trese M. T., Murphy P. L., Johnson J., Minor L. A. Removal of epimacular membranes. Ophthalmology. 1985 Aug;92(8):1075–1083. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(85)33902-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. McDonald H. R., Verre W. P., Aaberg T. M. Surgical management of idiopathic epiretinal membranes. Ophthalmology. 1986 Jul;93(7):978–983. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(86)33635-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Mester U. Vitrektomie bei epiretinaler Gliose. Fortschr Ophthalmol. 1988;85(3):267–269. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Michels R. G. Vitrectomy for macular pucker. Ophthalmology. 1984 Nov;91(11):1384–1388. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(84)34136-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Michels R. G. Vitreous surgery for macular pucker. Am J Ophthalmol. 1981 Nov;92(5):628–639. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)74654-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Pesin S. R., Olk R. J., Grand M. G., Boniuk I., Arribas N. P., Thomas M. A., Williams D. F., Burgess D. Vitrectomy for premacular fibroplasia. Prognostic factors, long-term follow-up, and time course of visual improvement. Ophthalmology. 1991 Jul;98(7):1109–1114. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(91)32169-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Pesin S. R., Olk R. J. Incidence and management of complications associated with pars plana vitrectomy for premacular fibroplasia. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 1992 Spring;32(2):95–104. doi: 10.1097/00004397-199203220-00009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Piguet B., Gonvers M. Traitement chirurgical de la fibrose maculaire épirétinienne: expérience lausannoise. Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 1990 May;196(5):357–359. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1046193. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Pilkerton A. R., Gilbert W. S., Perraut L. E., Sr, Perraut L. E., Jr, Garfinkel R. A. Idiopathic preretinal fibrosis: a review of 237 cases. Ophthalmic Surg. 1992 Feb;23(2):113–115. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Rice T. A., De Bustros S., Michels R. G., Thompson J. T., Debanne S. M., Rowland D. Y. Prognostic factors in vitrectomy for epiretinal membranes of the macula. Ophthalmology. 1986 May;93(5):602–610. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(86)33689-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Trese M. T., Chandler D. B., Machemer R. Macular pucker. I. Prognostic criteria. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 1983;221(1):12–15. doi: 10.1007/BF02171725. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Wilkinson C. P. Recurrent macular pucker. Am J Ophthalmol. 1979 Dec;88(6):1029–1031. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(79)90411-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Wise G. N. Clinical features of idiopathic preretinal macular fibrosis. Schoenberg Lecture. Am J Ophthalmol. 1975 Mar;79(3):349–347. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(75)90605-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Wiznia R. A. Natural history of idiopathic preretinal macular fibrosis. Ann Ophthalmol. 1982 Sep;14(9):876–878. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Zarbin M. A., Michels R. G., Green W. R. Epiretinal membrane contracture associated with macular prolapse. Am J Ophthalmol. 1990 Dec 15;110(6):610–618. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)77057-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. de Bustros S., Thompson J. T., Michels R. G., Enger C., Rice T. A., Glaser B. M. Nuclear sclerosis after vitrectomy for idiopathic epiretinal membranes. Am J Ophthalmol. 1988 Feb 15;105(2):160–164. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(88)90180-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. de Juan E., Jr, Lambert H. M., Machemer R. Recurrent proliferations in macular pucker, diabetic retinopathy, and retrolental fibroplasialike disease after vitrectomy. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 1985;223(4):174–183. doi: 10.1007/BF02174056. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of Ophthalmology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES