Pars plana vitrectomy with multiple transvenous chorioretinotomies for macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.

OBJECTIVE

To review results of vitreous surgery for branch and central retinal vein occlusion (BRVO and CRVO).

METHODS

All cases of vitrectomy with multiple transvenous chorioretinotomies for retinal vein occlusion at a vitreoretinal subspecialty practice were reviewed.

RESULTS

Twenty eyes of 20 patients (four with BRVO and 16 with CRVO) were included. Mean time from diagnosis to surgery was 15 months, and mean postoperative follow-up was 22 months. Injections of bevacizumab or ranibizumab decreased postoperatively (P < .0001; Poisson regression model), while log-MAR visual acuity improved (P = .0396; Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Ten eyes required no further injections postoperatively, and three eyes required one postoperative injection. Macular edema expressed as OCT maximum macular thickness was significantly reduced postoperatively at 6 months and 12 months (P = .0077 and .0093, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

In a pilot study of retinal vein occlusion treatment, multiple transvenous chorioretinotomy surgery significantly improved visual acuity and macular edema and reduced intravitreal drug dependency. Further study is warranted.