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Evaluation of retinal vascular structure after epiretinal membrane surgery by optical coherence tomography angiography

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the retinal vascular structure before and after the epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods

Twenty-two eyes with ERM (study eyes) had been evaluated by OCTA for superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) vessel density (VD) at foveal and parafoveal regions and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) before and after ERM removal surgery. Twenty-two fellow eyes were selected as control group.

Results

Preoperative VD of SCP and DCP were significantly lower in ERM eyes than in controls in both foveal and parafoveal areas (p < 0.05, for all). The difference regressed in SCP (fovea: 18.04 ± 3.1 vs 19.98 ± 18 p = 0.002 and parafovea: 47.33 ± 3.54 vs 49.71 ± 28 p = 0.001), but persisted in DCP (fovea: 17.25 ± 3.52 vs 17.57 ± 4.01 p = 0.856 and parafovea: 50.12 ± 4.35 vs 50.93 ± 3.24 p = 0.791) in study eyes, postoperatively. Superficial and deep FAZ areas were significantly smaller in study eyes than controls. Postoperatively, superficial FAZ area enlarged (0.288 ± 0.10 vs 0.307 ± 0.08 p = 0.012), whereas deep FAZ area did not (0.324 ± 0.09 vs 0.338 ± 0.07 p = 0.435). FAZ area was correlated with the best-corrected visual acuity in ERM eyes.

Conclusion

Vascular damage in SCP and DCP was demonstrated by OCTA in eyes with ERM. ERM removal surgery mainly improves superficial changes caused by ERM. Changes in deep retinal flow may be associated with visual outcomes after ERM removal surgery.

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Code availability

None.

Data availability

Authors declare that data and material of the study are available in Ekol Hospital archives.

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Funding

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital Ophthalmology Department, University of Health Sciences, Guney District, Street:1140/1 No:1, Yenisehir-Konak, Izmir, Turkey

    Berna Yuce

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Ekol Hospital, Izmir, Turkey

    Esat Cinar & Cem Kucukerdonmez

  3. Training and Research Hospital Ophthalmology Department, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Antalya, Turkey

    Fatih Aslan

Authors
  1. Berna Yuce
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  2. Esat Cinar
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  3. Fatih Aslan
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  4. Cem Kucukerdonmez
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Correspondence to Berna Yuce.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Approval for this study was obtained from the Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University Ethics Committee (Protocol No.11–9/2019).

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Yuce, B., Cinar, E., Aslan, F. et al. Evaluation of retinal vascular structure after epiretinal membrane surgery by optical coherence tomography angiography. Int Ophthalmol 41, 621–627 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-020-01617-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-020-01617-9

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