[Surgery of sub-foveal neovascular membranes].

Background: To present the functional, angiographic and electron microscopic results of 3 patients who underwent surgical removal of a subfoveolar neovascularisation. These patients are representative of the most common indications for subfoveolar surgery.

Material And Method: In one case, the neovascularization originated from an old chorioretinal scar close to the macula; in another case, it was associated with high myopia; in the last case the neovascularization was coupled with an age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). The 3 removal neovascular membranes were examined by electron microscopy. Indocyanine green and fluorescein angiographies were performed in all 3 cases before and after surgery.

Results: Visual recovery was excellent in the case of neovasularization and old chorioretinitis scar; it was minimal in the case of high myopia; no objective improvement was found in the case of ARMD. Electron microscopic examination did not always allow to determine accurately if the neovascularization was located in the subretinal space or under the pigment epthelium.

Conclusions: These results match those already published: surgical prognosis is the best when neovascularization is in the subretinal space and when the pigment epithelium has not been damaged by the underlying disease or by the surgical maneuvers. Electron microscopic examination is not easy to interpret.