Abstract: 【Abstract】 Objective To evaluate efficacy of vitrectomy combined with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) for diabetic macular edema in patients with severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Design Retrospective comperative case series. Participants 25 consecutive patients (28 eyes) who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for treatment of PDR in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from July 2007 to April 2010.  Methods 12 patients (14 eyes) were allocated into the IVTA group received an intravitreal injection of 2 mg (0.05 ml) of triamcinolone acetonide at the end of surgery. 13 patients (14 eyes) as controls received only vitrectomy. All the patients  were followed up with OCT examination for 6 months.The preperative complexity score of PDR was similar between two groups. Main Outcome Measures LogMAR Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT). Results At 6-month follow-up, mean post-operative BCVA- LogMAR was significantly better in IVTA group (0.76±0.45) than the control (1.20±0.50) (t= 2.473, P=0.020). The significant reduction of central macular thickness was observed in the IVTA group (266.92±50.23 μm) compared with the control (285.37±46.81 μm) (t=16.470, P=0.000). Conclusions Pars plana vitrectomy combined with IVTA for the treatments of diabetic macular edema in severe PDR is effective and can improve BCVA better. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2012, 21: 248-252)

Key words: triamcinolone acetonide, pars plana vitrectomy, diabetic macular edema