360-degree pedicled inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique without face-down posturing for large idiopathic macular holes: a retrospective case series

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aimed to determine closure rates of large idiopathic macular holes treated with pars plana vitrectomy and 360-degree pedicled inverted internal limiting membrane flap without face-down posturing and define visual improvement, types of macular hole closure, and external retina integrity as secondary outcomes. Methods: This retrospective case series analyzed all patients who were treated by vitrectomy, 360-degree pedicled inverted internal limiting membrane flap, and gas tamponade, without face-down posturing postoperatively. Age, sex, time of visual acuity reduction, other ocular pathologies, and lens status were collected. The best-corrected visual acuity and optical coherence tomography results were recorded during pre- and postoperative follow-up examinations (15 days and 2 months after surgery). Results: This study enrolled 20 eyes of 19 patients, and the mean age was 66 years. Optical coherence tomography performed 2 months after surgery revealed hole closure in 19 (95%) eyes. The median best-corrected visual acuity improved from +1.08 preoperatively to +0.66 LogMAR 2 months postoperatively (p<0.001), with a median of 20 letters of visual improvement (0.4 LogMAR) on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart. V (47.36%)- and U (52.63%)-types of closure were observed. Conclusion: The 360-degree pedicled inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique, without face-down posturing, provided a high closure rate (95%), external layer recovery, and V- and U-type foveal closure contours, in addition to visual improvement in most cases of large macular holes (even macular holes >650 μm). This technique may be a viable alternative to patients in whom traditional postoperative face-down positioning for large macular hole treatment is not possible.