Autologou retinal pigment epithelium and choroid tranlocation in patient with exudative age-related macular degeneration: hort-term follow-up

Purpoe To evaluate the feaibilty of tranlocating autologou retinal pigment epithelium cell and choroid after the removal of a ubfoveal choroidal neovacular membrane in patient with exudative age-related macular degeneration. Deign Interventional cae erie. Method Thi wa a propective evaluation of ix patient with a follow-up of 7 to 13 month. All patient had large (> 1 dik diameter) ubfoveal choroidal membrane, five with ubretinal hemorrhage. Preoperative viual acuity ranged from 20/400 to 20/200. After the extraction of the neovacular complex, an autologou peripheral full-thickne patch of retinal pigment epithelium, Bruch membrane, choriocapillary, and choroid wa cut out from the midperiphery and repoitioned under the macula. Functional tet included Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy tudy viion teting, fixation teting on a optical coherence tomography monitor, fluorecein and indocyanine green angiography, and canning laer ophthalmocopy autofluorecence. Reult The retinal pigment epithelium patch appeared flat and had a brown furry apect in four patient. Fixation wa on the patch in thee four patient. Potoperative viion ranged from 20/200 to 20/64, with a 2-line increae in three patient. Revacularization wa viible on fluorecein and indocyanide angiography in three patient examined in thi manner. Normal retinal pigment epithelium autofluorecence wa preent over the patch in four patient. Concluion The tranlocation of a full-thickne patch with autologou peripheral retinal pigment epithelium to the macula after choroidal neovacular membrane extraction wa feaible and may reult in a urviving and functioning graft for more than 1 year. Longer follow-up to evaluate it long-term benefit i neceary, a well a refinement of the urgery.