Macular translocation with chorioscleral outfolding: A pilot clinical study

PURPOSE: A new surgical technique to translocate the macula was used to treat patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age,related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Prospective, interventional case series. METHODS: Twenty-five eyes of 25 patients underwent macular translocation with either circumferential or ra, dial chorioscleral outfolding using three clip sizes: 2-mm, 3-mm., and 4-mm. Postoperative photocoagulation was performed on only those eyes that had an extrafoveal choroidal neovascular membrane following surgery. RESULTS: The surgery successfully displaced the fovea in 22 (88%) of the eyes. The median postoperative foveal displacement was 1142 mum (range 0 to 3200 mum). Patients who had radial outfolding with 4-mm clips had this surgical procedure more predictable, and more research (randomized clinical trials) is needed to determine the role of macular translocation in the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in patients with AMD. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.