PURPOSE: To study the effects of intravitreal injection (IVI) of expansile gas for early macular holes (EMH). METHODS: Prospective interventional case series. Twelve eyes of 12 patients with EMH (stage 2) underwent IVI of perfluoropropane 0.2 ml followed by 5 days' facedown positioning. RESULTS: Six cases (50%) achieved vitreous-macula separation. Three cases (25%) had hole closure with vision improvement; one of them developed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and hole re-opening. Another case with persistent hole also developed RRD. Seven of the 9 cases without hole closure and the one where the hole re-opened had vitrectomy, all resulting in hole closure and vision improvement. Duration of symptoms had borderline significance for hole closure (p = 0.11) and subsequent visual improvement (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: With its low success rate, IVI of gas may not be a good option for EMH. Complications include retinal detachment. The procedure seems to not affect hole closure with subsequent vitrectomy.
PURPOSE: To study the effects of intravitreal injection (IVI) of expansile gas for early macular holes (EMH). METHODS: Prospective interventional case series. Twelve eyes of 12 patients with EMH (stage 2) underwent IVI of perfluoropropane 0.2 ml followed by 5 days' facedown positioning. RESULTS: Six cases (50%) achieved vitreous-macula separation. Three cases (25%) had hole closure with vision improvement; one of them developed rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and hole re-opening. Another case with persistent hole also developed RRD. Seven of the 9 cases without hole closure and the one where the hole re-opened had vitrectomy, all resulting in hole closure and vision improvement. Duration of symptoms had borderline significance for hole closure (p = 0.11) and subsequent visual improvement (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: With its low success rate, IVI of gas may not be a good option for EMH. Complications include retinal detachment. The procedure seems to not affect hole closure with subsequent vitrectomy.