BACKGROUND: We report a case of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) that developed after surgical removal of submacular lipid plaques secondary to diabetic maculopathy. METHODS: A 73-year-old man with diabetic maculopathy underwent standard pars plana vitrectomy and surgical removal of the submacular lipid plaques. RESULTS: Preoperative visual acuity was 20/200. Funduscopy revealed a macular oedema and subretinal lipid plaques at the macula. Nine months after surgery visual acuity had dropped to 20/320 and subfoveal CNV was diagnosed by fluorescein angiography. Observational management was chosen. At the last examination, 27 months after surgery, visual acuity had worsened to 20/500 and a CNV scar was seen at the macula. CONCLUSIONS: CNV development should be kept in mind as a possible complication of surgical removal of submacular lipid plaques in patients with diabetic retinopathy.
BACKGROUND: We report a case of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) that developed after surgical removal of submacular lipid plaques secondary to diabetic maculopathy. METHODS: A 73-year-old man with diabetic maculopathy underwent standard pars plana vitrectomy and surgical removal of the submacular lipid plaques. RESULTS: Preoperative visual acuity was 20/200. Funduscopy revealed a macular oedema and subretinal lipid plaques at the macula. Nine months after surgery visual acuity had dropped to 20/320 and subfoveal CNV was diagnosed by fluorescein angiography. Observational management was chosen. At the last examination, 27 months after surgery, visual acuity had worsened to 20/500 and a CNV scar was seen at the macula. CONCLUSIONS: CNV development should be kept in mind as a possible complication of surgical removal of submacular lipid plaques in patients with diabetic retinopathy.