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Ege Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Göz Hastalıkları A.D., İzmir Purpose: To evaluate the results of the pneumatic displacement of the submacular hemorrhage caused by exudative age related macular degeneration (AMD) or retinal arterial macroaneurism (MA).
Methods: Intravitreal injection of 0.4cc sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) followed by face down position for 3 days was performed in six eyes of six patients (4 males, 2 females) with submacular hemorrhage due to the exudative AMD (3 patients) and MA (3 patients). The age of the patients was between 56 and 85 years (mean age, 72.8 years). The duration between the subretinal hemorrhage and the treatment ranged from 3 to 21 days (mean, 9 days). The size of the hemorrage was between 3 and 7 disc areas (DA) (mean, 5.3DA).
Results: Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before the treatment was between hand motions and 0.2. No complication was seen during intravitreal injection of SF6 or in the postoperative period. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 10 months after treatment (mean, 6.6 months). Displacement of the submacular hemorrhage after the treatment occurred completely in all patients with AMD and in one patient with MA, partially in one patient with . MA; no displacement was obtained in one patient with MA. After treatment, BCVA was between counting fingers from 1m. and 0.4. After the gas injection, BCVA improved in all patients with AMD, and only in one patient with MA.
Conclusion: If we consider the poor prognosis of submacular hemorrhage in patients with AMD or retinal arterial MA, pneumatic displacement of the submacular hemorrhage may be an effective method because of its application facility, low complication rate and good anatomic and functional results. Although our series was not large enough, the anatomic and functional results of AMD group were better than MA group. Keywords : Submacular hemmorhage, SF6, pneumatic displacement