Abstract
BACKGROUND: Intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) has recently been introduced for the visualization of retinal structures within the operating microscope. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the behavior of the retina and morphological features during surgery for retinal detachment with macular involvement. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 41 consecutive eyes with macula-off retinal detachment, which were treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) using iOCT. A qualitative analysis of morphological features of the retina at defined moments during surgery was carried out. RESULTS: The visualization of macular detachment with iOCT was successful in 63% of cases and in the other cases the height of retinal detachment surpassed the maximum depth of the scan by iOCT. With perfluorodecalin 53.7% of eyes showed subretinal fluid and 22% of eyes showed a wave-like configuration of the outer retinal layers. In 61% of the eyes persisting subretinal fluid could be detected under the final tamponade. The amount of subretinal fluid could not be detected intraoperatively with the naked eye. In one case a macular hole could be newly identified intraoperatively and in three cases macular detachment could not be found at the start of surgery, although a detachment had been expected. CONCLUSION: The use of iOCT rarely leads to changes or extension of the intervention; however, it provides real-time information on intraretinal and subretinal fluid, which is sometimes in contrast to the clinical assessment. The relevance of persistent subretinal fluid and folds of the outer retinal layers after surgery remains unclear. It can be speculated whether this could serve as a prognostic factor for the postoperative outcome.