AUTOLOGOUS RETINA TRANSPLANTATION FOR TREATMENT OF REFRACTORY DOUBLE FULL-THICKNESS MACULAR HOLE IN ALPORT SYNDROME.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Retinal Surgery

Background:

• Alport syndrome can cause severe visual impairment, including refractory macular holes.
• Standard surgical treatments for double full-thickness macular holes have limited success rates, especially in complex cases.

Observation:

• A patient with Alport syndrome and a recurrent double full-thickness macular hole underwent pars plana vitrectomy with autologous neurosensory retinal flap transplantation.
• Post-operative evaluation included fundus examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and microperimetry (MAIA).

Findings:

• The macular hole remained anatomically closed one year after surgery.
• OCT confirmed successful integration of retinal flaps and regeneration of external retinal layers.
• Best-corrected visual acuity improved from 20/200 to 20/80.

Implications:

• Pars plana vitrectomy with autologous neurosensory retinal flap transplantation is a viable surgical option for refractory double full-thickness macular holes in Alport syndrome.
• This technique demonstrates potential for significant visual recovery in patients with complex retinal pathologies.