20g PPV with indocyanine green-assisted ILM peeling versus 23g PPV with brilliant blue G-assisted ILM peeling for epiretinal membrane.

Abstract

To compare the anatomical and visual outcomes of 20 gauge (g) pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with indocyanine green (ICG)-assisted internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling and 23g PPV with brilliant blue G (BBG)-assisted ILM peeling for idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). 38 eyes of 38 patients with idiopathic ERM were included. They were divided in two groups: group 1 (18 eyes) underwent 20g PPV with ICG-assisted ILM peeling and group 2 (20eyes) 23g PPV with BBG-assisted ILM peeling. Postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were compared. Average BCVA in group 1 improved significantly from 0.60 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (log MAR) at baseline to 0.3 log MAR postoperatively. Average BCVA in group 2 improved significantly from 0.60 log MAR at baseline to 0.3 log MAR postoperatively. Mean CMT reduced significantly from 473 to 375μm in group 1 and from 486 to 396μm in group 2. There were no significant differences in the BCVA and CMT between the groups. Both surgical methods appeared to be safe and provided similar anatomical and visual outcomes.