Purpose: To compare the surgical outcomes during pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for diffuse diabetic macular edema (DME) with pretreatment to those without pretreatment.
Methods: The medical charts of 43 eyes of 46 patients who underwent PPV for DME were reviewed. The previously treated (Prev.Tx) group included 19 eyes of 20 patients who were pretreated with intravitreal bevacizumab, sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide, and/or subthreshold micropulse diode laser photocoagulation before the PPV. The treatment naïve (Tx.Naïve) group included 24 eyes of 26 patients who underwent PPV alone. The central macular thickness (CMT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were measured before treatment and 1, 3, and 6 months after.
Results: In both groups, BCVA at 3 and 6 months and CMT at 1 month or later were significantly better than preoperative visual acuity. CMT at 1 month or later significantly decreased from the preoperative value (p<0.05). The differences in the BCVA and CMT between the Prev Tx and Tx.Naïve group were not significant.
Conclusions: PPV either with or without preoperative treatments can significantly improve the BCVA and reduce the CMT in patients with diffuse DME.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 117: 785-792, 2013.