Background: During surgical extraction of choroidal neovascular membranes (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the defective foveal retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is removed. Subsequent translocation of the foveal neural retina to adjacent healthy RPE should result in stabilization and possibly improvement of visual acuity.
Methods: A prospective case series was carried out using controlled surgery and examination protocols with examinations made at fixed intervals. The surgical procedures combine counterrotation of the globe, phacoemulsification and implantation of a posterior chamber lens, complete vitrectomy, induction of a total retinal detachment, 360 degrees anterior retinotomy, removal of the subfoveal neovascular complex, foveal translocation outside the RPE defect, reattachment of the retina using F6H8, peripheral laser retinopexy and temporary silicone oil tamponade.
Patients: Macular translocation surgery was performed on 100 patients between December 1997 and December 1999. All patients had experienced recent visual loss due to exudative AMD and of these, 26 patients had major macular subretinal hemorrhage, 39 patients had occult and 25 patients classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. The preoperative findings in the remaining patients included tears in the pigment epithelium (n = 4), polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (n = 1), recurrent subfoveal CNV following laser therapy (n = 2) and deep retinal vascular anomalous complexes (n = 3).
Results: A total of 97 patients completed the 12-month examination. Visual acuity increased by 15 or more ETDRS chart letters in 24 patients, remained stable in 42 patients and deteriorated by 15 or more EDTRS chart letters in 34 patients 12 months postoperatively. The silicone oil tamponade was removed in 97 patients, in 10 patients, silicone oil had to be reinjected because of severe complications. A secondary procedure was necessary in 25 patients, primary PVR was observed in 9 eyes, secondary PVR developed in 10 eyes, a macular pucker in 5 eyes and a macular hole in 1 patient. Other postoperative complications included persistent hypotonia, macular edema, IOL dislocation, keratopathy and recurrent CNV (n = 3).
Conclusions: Macular translocation is a technically demanding operation, which requires a considerable learning curve. Although the procedure has a high rate of surgical and postoperative complications, the functional and anatomical results appear to be promising for selected patients with subfoveal CNV secondary to AMD.