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Vitrectomy improves vision in patients with sub-ILM hemorrhages
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Vitrectomy can significantly improve vision in patients with suspected sub-internal limiting membrane hemorrhages that do not spontaneously resolve, according to a small study by researchers in Belgium.
"Given the excellent results and low complication rates, timely surgical intervention is justified when spontaneous resorption is insufficient," the study authors said.
Joachim Van Calster, MD, and colleagues reviewed data for five consecutive patients with clinically suspected sub-internal limiting membrane (sub-ILM) hemorrhages, all of which were confirmed during early vitrectomy involving ILM peeling.
Patients averaged 32 years of age. One patient had Terson's syndrome, two had Valsalva retinopathy, one had blood dyscrasia and one had suffered blunt facial trauma. All patients had severely impaired vision due to the premacular location of the hemorrhage, with four of the five patients seeing only hand motion, according to the study.
Surgeons performed pars plana vitrectomy after an average of 6 weeks due to insufficient spontaneous visual recovery, the authors noted.
"The sub-ILM location of the hemorrhage could be confirmed intraoperatively in all patients by biostaining of the membrane overlying the hemorrhage. ILM peeling and aspiration of the hemorrhage resulted in excellent visual recovery in all patients. No procedure-related complications were observed," they wrote.
The study is published in the July issue of British Journal of Ophthalmology.