Pars plana vitrectomy techniques for relief of epiretinal traction by membrane segmentation.

We used a technique for surgical management of fibrovascular membranes to relieve epiretinal tangential traction when present in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Sharp dissection with intraocular scissors was used to segment fibrovascular and cortical vitreous membranes together with cauterization of large vessels with intraocular bipolar diathermy. The objective of membrane segmentation was to relieve all epiretinal traction, thereby reducing retinal surface distortion and allowing the retina to flatten and reattach. Complete relief of traction prevented further late contraction of membranes and subsequent distortion and redetachment.