Viscodelamination at the vitreoretinal juncture in severe diabetic eye disease

Injection of 1% methylcellulose or 1% sodium hyaluronate (Healonid) was used to separate attached vitreous cortex and fibrovascular epiretinal membranes from the retina in 40 eyes undergoing closed microsurgery for severe diabetic eye disease. The viscodelamination technique was of great value in elevating vitreous cortex or sparsely vascularised epiretinal membranes, especially in eyes with combined traction and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. However, bleeding from or tearing of the retina limited the usefulness of this technique in the surgery of highly vascularised and adherent membranes, as in eyes with table-top traction retinal detachment. Recurrent epiretinal membrane proliferation was seen in some eyes postoperatively.