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Original Article
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)–choroid graft translocation in the treatment of an RPE tear: preliminary results
  1. K Maaijwee1,
  2. A M Joussen2,
  3. B Kirchhof3,
  4. J C van Meurs1,4
  1. 1
    Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, the Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
  2. 2
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
  3. 3
    Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, Center of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  4. 4
    Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
  1. Dr K Maaijwee, The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Schiedamse Vest 180, 3011 BH Rotterdam, The Netherlands; kmaaijwee{at}hotmail.com

Abstract

Aim: To investigate whether retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)–choroid translocation would be a suitable treatment for RPE tears, which have a poor prognosis and are encountered more often since the introduction of anti-(vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) therapy for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Prospective interventional case series of six eyes of six patients with AMD with an RPE tear treated with an RPE–choroid translocation. The RPE tear occurred in a vascularised pigment epithelium detachment in four patients and after treatment in the other two. Preoperative and postoperative evaluation included ETDRS visual acuity (VA) and fixation testing. The follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 2 years.

Results: The mean preoperative VA was 20/160 (range 20/400–20/80). The mean VA at the last examination after surgery was 20/80 (range 1/60–20/50). One of the six patients had a preoperative VA of ⩾20/80, and four had a VA of 20/80 or better at their last examination. Foveal fixation on the graft was present in five of the six eyes up to the last examination.

Conclusion: These preliminary data show that an RPE–choroid translocation may be a treatment option for patients with an RPE tear.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2007.131383

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    Footnotes

    • Funding: This study was supported by the SWOO-Flieringa Foundation (Foundation Scientific Research Eye Hospital Rotterdam), the Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

    • Competing interests: None.

    • Ethics approval: Ethics approval was obtained.

    • Patient consent: Patient consent was obtained for publication of figs 1 and 2.

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    2008 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd