Triamcinolone in small-gauge vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane peeling

Objective: We compared visual and macular morphological outcomes after epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling, with and without IVTA treatment. Design: Interventional, retrospective, consecutive case-control study. Participants: Forty-one eyes of 41 participants (17 men, 24 women) were included. Twenty-one were treated by standard vitrectomy and peeling (controls) and 20 patients received intravitreal triamcinolone after vitrectomy and peeling. Methods: Pre-and postoperative letter score and central foveal thickness (CFT) through the foveal centre were compared between both groups. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured using Snellen charts and converted to logMAR for statistical analyses. Results: CFT and BCVA had improved by the 6-month follow-up from baseline. In the control group, the mean logMAR BCVA improved from 0.57 (SD: 0.22) to 0.21 (0.17) (p < 0.01), and the mean CFT reduced from 462.5 (98.6) mu m to 329.8 (82.7) mu m (p < 0.01). The mean logMAR BCVA of the IVTA group improved from 0.73 (0.17) to 0.36 (0.31) (p < 0.01), and the mean CFT reduced from 561.45 (131.0) mu m to 339.25 (72.6) mu m (p < 0.01). Visual improvement and CFT did not differ significantly at follow up (p = 0.583; p= 0.85). Significant reduction of CFT is seen in the IVTA group (p = 0.048). Conclusions: Visual acuity and macular morphology improved after ERM peeling, with or without IVTA. Although conjunctive IVTA did not significantly influence visual outcome at 6 months, a significant decrease in CFT was observed after IVTA administration.