One-year outcomes of pneumatic displacement for submacular hemorrhage secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To investigate the one-year outcomes of pneumatic displacement for submacular hemorrhage (SMH) secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). We compared cases of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and non-PCV.

STUDY

DESIGN

A retrospective observational study.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of 76 eyes of 74 patients with SMH secondary to nAMD who underwent pneumatic displacement as initial treatment. The primary outcomes were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), complications, and additional treatment.

RESULTS

We examined 54 eyes with PCV and 22 eyes with non- PCV. Approximately 0.5 mL of 100% sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas was injected into the vitreous cavity. After pneumatic displacement, 19 eyes (25%) underwent vitrectomy for complications such as vitreous hemorrhage or retinal detachment. Additionally, 95% of eyes that underwent vitrectomy had hemorrhage extending beyond the arcade vessels at baseline. During the 12 months, the average number of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections was 7.0±3.6 in PCV cases and 7.0±3.3 in non-PCV cases (P=0.74). The mean BCVA at 12 months improved from 0.77±0.44 to 0.42±0.45 in PCV cases (P<0.01) and from 1.13±0.51 to 0.88±0.59 in non-PCV cases (P=0.01). The PCV group had better BCVA than the non-PCV group at both time points (P<0.01). In the previously treated group, 100% of non-PCV cases had worsened visual acuity compared to pre-onset SMH, while 62% of PCV cases maintained pre-onset visual acuity (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Pneumatic displacement resulted in superior visual outcomes in the PCV group compared to the non-PCV group for submacular hemorrhage secondary to nAMD. .