Effect of Periocular Triamcinolone Acetonide on Prevention of Postsurgical Intraretinal Cystoid Changes after Vitrectomy with Membrane Peeling

Abstract

Abstract Background Newly developed intraretinal cystoid changes after vitrectomy with membrane peeling for removal of epiretinal membranes have the potential to lead to worse postsurgical results compared to patients without. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of additional periocular application of triamcinolone acetonide as a routine adjunct at the end of vitrectomy with membrane peeling, and to compare the presence of postsurgical intraretinal cystoid changes in the first 3 months after surgery among patients with idiopathic epiretinal membranes to a historical group of patients that did not receive triamcinolone acetonide. Patients and Methods The medical records of 41 eyes of 41 patients that underwent 23 G or 25 G pars plana vitrectomy with membrane peeling for removal of epiretinal membranes and additional periocular triamcinolone acetonide application at the end of surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Optical coherence tomography findings during routine follow-ups at 3 – 5 days, 1 month, and 3 months and visual acuity at 3 months after surgery were evaluated and compared to preoperative findings. Furthermore, postsurgical intraocular pressure was assessed. Results Periocular triamcinolone acetonide at the end of surgery was well tolerated among all patients. In total, 10% of patients had an increased intraocular pressure at least at one follow-up. Best-corrected visual acuity improved in 91% of patients with idiopathic epiretinal membranes with a mean improvement of + 3 ± 2 lines (Snellen) and was comparable to a historic group of patients (p = 0.307). Early transient macular edema could not be detected in any of the patients, while there were cases with this pathology in the historic group of patients, but neither occurrence of newly developed intraretinal cystoid changes nor macular thickness at 3 months after surgery were significantly different between patients with and without triamcinolone acetonide (p = 0.385 and p = 0.879). Conclusions Periocularly applied triamcinolone acetonide at the end of vitrectomy with membrane peeling was well tolerated and showed prevention of early transient macular edema but did not prevent the development of new postoperative intraretinal cystoid changes.