Positive Health Online

Abstract

MAIA and COLLEAGUES,  (1)Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil set out to evaluate the feasibility, advantages, and safety of a novel lutein-based dye for improving identification and removal of the vitreous, internal limiting membrane, and epiretinal membrane during chromovitrectomy in humans.

Background

Methodology

The authors prospectively evaluated 12 eyes that underwent pars plana vitrectomy using the dye in patients with macular hole, epiretinal membrane, or proliferative diabetic retinopathy / tractional diabetic macular oedema. One surgeon performed standard chromovitrectomy and completed a postoperative questionnaire to compare the staining with that of the available dyes. The peeled membranes were evaluated histologically. Follow-up examinations were performed on postoperative Days 1, 7, 30, 90 and 180; best-corrected visual acuity, optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, autofluorescence, and visual fields were performed.

Results

The green dye was deposited on the posterior pole because of its higher density than balanced saline solution; vigorous dye flushing into the vitreous cavity was unnecessary. The dye stained the posterior hyaloid/vitreous base by deposition onto the vitreous; brilliant blue stained the internal limiting membrane. The epiretinal membrane was poorly stained. The best-corrected visual acuity improved in all eyes without clinical toxicity or toxicity on images/visual fields. Histology showed effective removal of the internal limiting membrane and epiretinal membrane in all eyes.

Conclusion

The new dye improved intraoperative identification of the internal limiting membrane and the posterior hyaloid/vitreous base during chromovitrectomy.

References

Maia M(1), Furlani BA, Souza-Lima AA, Martins DS, Navarro RM, Belfort R Jr. Lutein: a new dye for chromovitrectomy. Retina. 34(2):262-72. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0b013e3182a0b7f4.  Feb 2014.