Suprachoroidal injection of triamcinolone acetonide using a custom-made needle to treat diabetic macular edema post pars plana vitrectomy: a case series

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic macular edema (DME), the most common cause of diabetes-related visual impairment, may occur following pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) to manage proliferative diabetic retinopathy complications. This retrospective single-centre case series evaluated the efficacy and safety of injecting 4 mg/0.1 ml triamcinolone into the suprachoroidal space using a custom-made needle to treat DME post PPV. METHODS: Data regarding central macular thickness (CMT) using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography and best-corrected visual acuity (by Snellen chart) at baseline (pre-injection), and at 1, 4, and 8 weeks following injection were analysed, along with intraocular pressure (IOP), cataract progression, and ocular safety. RESULTS: Eleven eyes in 10 patients received 11 suprachoroidal injections. Vision improvement was noted (0.75 log minimum angle of resolution (MAR) at baseline to 0.40 log MAR after treatment). CMT reduced significantly from 456.45 ± 113.42 μm at baseline to 247.63 ± 53.40 μm at 8 weeks following injection. No rise in IOP, or cataract development in the single treated phakic eye, was observed during 8 weeks of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Suprachoroidal injection of triamcinolone using a custom-made needle to treat DME post PPV shows promising results with acceptable safety outcomes. Large clinical trials with longer follow-up are needed to evaluate this treatment option for countries with limited health-care resources.