Macular hole repair with minimal vitrectomy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Innovation
• Retinal Surgery

Background:

• Conventional macular hole surgery involves extensive intraocular content removal, risking complications.
• A minimally invasive approach may reduce surgical risks and improve patient outcomes.

Observation:

• A novel microspatula knife was employed for vitreous-retinal dissection, guided by optical coherence tomography.
• Posterior vitreous stripping was omitted, and a limited vitrectomy was performed to facilitate gas tamponade.

Findings:

• Successful closure of macular holes in three patients was achieved without operative or postoperative complications.
• The mean visual acuity improved by 6.3 lines after an average follow-up of 8.7 months.

Implications:

• Optical coherence tomography-guided dissection and limited vitrectomy offer a viable, less invasive method for macular hole repair.
• This technique holds potential for reduced operative time and fewer complications in treating macular holes.