Visual acuity of 20/32, 13.5 years after a retinal pigment epithelium and choroid graft transplantation.

Purpose: To present the 13.5-year-survival of an autologous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid graft transplantation with good visual acuity results.

Observations: A 72-year old patient presented with a 5-weeks-old visual acuity deterioration to excentric finger counting at half a meter.

Deferred laser photocoagulation of relaxing retinotomies under silicone oil tamponade to reduce recurrent macular detachment in severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Purpose: This study sought to investigate whether, in patients with retinal detachment complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy, we can re-attach the retina with a posterior relaxing retinotomy and silicone oil tamponade while postponing laser retinopexy for several months.

Methods: In 13 consecutive patients we applied laser coagulation of the retinotomy edge 15 ± 12 weeks after surgery. Silicone oil was removed 9 ± 6 weeks after laser application.

There is no relation between the occurrence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy and the location of the donor site after transplantation of a free autologous retinal pigment epithelium-choroid graft.

Purpose: A free autologous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-choroid graft can be harvested during transplantation surgery from a 6 or 12 o'clock site in the midperiphery. This study evaluated whether proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) occurs more frequently in patients with an inferior donor site retinotomy, which is not closed by the tamponade and is in contact with the hydrophilic, pro-inflammatory and fibrotic environment, than in patients with a superior donor site retinotomy.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort of 246 patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration treated with an RPE-choroid graft transplantation and a lighter-than-water, 5000 centistoke silicone oil endotamponade.

Single-sided and small-scaled grasping of delicate tissues: effectiveness of indirect heat-induced attachment and detachment.

Introduction: Indirect heat-induced attachment and detachment (iHIAD) is a promising concept for gripping delicate tissues in microsurgery. However, the optimal settings of iHIAD are unknown. This study evaluates the effects of the instrument heating properties and initial contact force on the adhesion force, detachment success and thermal damage.

A free retinal pigment epithelium-choroid graft in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration: results up to 7 years.

Purpose: To report and analyze long-term best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) outcomes following a free autologous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-choroid graft translocation in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Institutional.

Reliability testing of the Dutch version of the Radner Reading Charts.

Purpose: To statistically analyze the test-retest and inter-chart reliability of the newly developed actual logarithmically scaled Dutch Radner Reading Charts in an older population affected by macular disease. These Dutch Radner Reading Charts are developed according to the strict principles of sentence construction of the originally German language Radner Reading Charts.

Methods: Thirty-six subjects aged 50 years or older and affected with a macular disease monocularly read the three charts of the Radner Reading Charts in a randomized order twice with 1 month in between.

Threshold amplitude and frequency for ocular tissue release from a vibrating instrument: an experimental study.

Purpose: During retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid graft translocation in the treatment of patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration, the adhesion of the graft to the translocation instrument complicated its submacular release. Vibration of the instrument improved the release of the graft. This study was conducted to validate the effectiveness of the principle of vibration and to determine the threshold amplitude and frequency required for development of an optimized instrument.

Angiographic evidence for revascularization of an rpe-choroid graft in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To study graft perfusion using fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICG) after the translocation of an autologous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-choroid graft in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Retrospective observational case series of 31 patients with AMD who had FA and/or ICG performed after an RPE-choroid graft translocation. The FAs (n = 25) and ICGs (n = 23) were assessed by an independent masked reader for the presence of early fluorescence of the graft in FA, and for perfusion of the choroidal vessels of the graft and recipient bed in ICG.

Influence of intraoperative course on visual outcome after an RPE-choroid translocation.

Purpose: In a previous study, preoperative variables were correlated with postoperative visual outcome after the translocation of a free RPE-choroid graft. The present study was conducted to investigate whether the intraoperative course was an independent factor influencing visual outcome in these patients.

Methods: This was a prospective interventional case series of 48 patients with exudative AMD treated with an RPE-choroid translocation.

Retinal pigment epithelium and choroid translocation in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration: long-term results.

Background: To study the results of the translocation of a free autologous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-choroid graft after removal of a subfoveal choroidal neovascular membrane in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and to determine whether preoperative variables may predict visual outcome at 1 year after surgery.

Methods: Prospective interventional case series of 84 eyes of 83 consecutive eligible patients with exudative AMD with a minimal follow-up of 1 year after surgery. Of this group, 45, 24 and 11 patients reached a follow-up of respectively 2, 3 and 4 years.

In vivo retinal tolerance of various heavy silicone oils.

Purpose: Heavy silicone oils are currently under investigation as a permanent tamponade in eyes with inferior PVR. This study was an investigation of Densiron 68 (Fluoron GmbH, Neu-Ulm, Germany) and several new heavy silicone oil admixtures on the basis of the perfluoroalkanes F4H5 (perfluorobutylpentane), F4H6 (perfluorobutylhexane), and F4H8 (perfluorobutyloctane) with respect to their long-term tolerance in a rabbit model.

Methods: Because of the better solubility of the F4Hn-species (n = 5-8) in comparison to F6H8, we used F4H5, F4H6, and F4H8 to generate highly viscous, heavy silicone oils (HSO).

Effect of gravity in long-term vitreous tamponade: in vivo investigation using perfluorocarbon liquids and semi-fluorinated alkanes.

Purpose: In order to investigate whether gravity is the reason for retinal degeneration in long-term vitreous tamponade, perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8), perfluorodecalin (PFD), and a mixture of F6H8/PFD were compared.

Materials And Methods: Each group of 5 rabbits received a 3-month tamponade with either PFD (pure) (1.93 g/cm(3)), F6H8 (pure) (1.

Histological evidence for revascularisation of an autologous retinal pigment epithelium--choroid graft in the pig.

Background: Translocation of a free autologous graft consisting of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), Bruch's membrane, choriocapillaris and choroid in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration is currently being evaluated in clinical practice. Angiographic studies in these patients suggest that their grafts become revascularised.

Aim: To investigate the histological evidence of revascularisation of the graft in a porcine model.

Autologous translocation of the choroid and retinal pigment epithelium in age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the autologous translocation of peripheral choroid and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in 45 eyes of 43 patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: Prospective nonrandomized study.

Methods: All patients had visual loss due to AMD (n = 5 classic membranes, n = 14 occult, n = 2 mixed, n = 16 pigment epithelial detachment (PED), n = 5 subretinal hemorrhage, n = 3 geographic atrophy).

Especially polymorphonuclear leukocytes, but also monomorphonuclear leukocytes, roll spontaneously in venules of intact rat skin: involvement of E-selectin.

White blood cells roll spontaneously in venules of intact, noninflamed rat skin. We investigated noninvasively in two experimental series which leukocyte subtypes participate in this phenomenon and the possible involvement of E-selectin. Male Lewis rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital, and intravital video microscopy was performed on postcapillary venules in the nail-fold of a hind leg.