source: https://doi.org/10.7892/boris.117523 | downloaded: 9.8.2022
Graefe’s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol
(2005) 243: 1071–1072
DOI 10.1007/s00417-005-0012-9
BOOK REVIEW
F. Koerner
Received: 8 April 2005
Accepted: 11 April 2005
Published online: 28 June 2005
# Springer-Verlag 2005
Vitreo-retinal surgery
The hardcover monograph entitled
“Vitreo-retinal Surgery”, edited by
Bernd Kirchhof (Cologne) and David
Wong (Liverpool), appeared as the
9th volume in the series ‘Essentials in
ophthalmology’. The reader might
expect from the title a textbook with
comprehensive instructions for surgi-
cal procedures for vitreo-retinal dis-
eases. However, in the preface the
authors point out that their aim is
“to update our knowledge on the large
body of experimental research per-
formed to date on the most urgent
problems of vitreoretinal diseases”.
Yet vitreo-retinal surgeons will find
numerous implications of clinical
relevance deducted from the outcome
of actual basic research. Nevertheless,
a title like “Modern Trends in Vitreo-
retinal Surgery” would perhaps have
been more appropriate.
The 177-page book contains 11
chapters written by experienced
researchers and clinicians. Each
chapter is followed by an extensive list
of alphabetically sorted references.
A three-page subject index facilitates
the search for specific topics. Each
chapter is preceded by core messages,
and subsections are followed by a
‘Summary for the Clinician’. Most
articles are illustrated with high-qual-
ity graphs and tables.
The reader will perhaps miss a
chapter on currently available instru-
mentation and a description of
standard procedures of vitreo-retinal
surgery. The volume starts with an
article on retinal implants by P. Walter.
It deals mainly with technical solu-
tions currently being investigated. The
applicability of retinal implants in
blind human patients needs to be
awaited. A chapter of Antonia Joussen
and B. Kirchhof summarizes the
pathophysiology and actual pharma-
cological and surgical approaches
against macular edema. Advances in
the surgical removal of non-diabetic
epimacular membranes and the inter-
nal limiting membrane (ILM) are the
subject of an article of Silvia Bopp.
An analysis of post-operative data
illustrates the functional benefit of
so-called pucker surgery. Pros and
cons of the use of dyes are discussed.
Because of the risk of postoperative
cataract formation, the author recom-
mends a combination of the
vitrectomy with a cataract operation
or clear lens extraction in all
patients over 50 years of age.
However, this message needs to be
proven by prospective controlled
studies. Two articles deal with some
aspects of the surgical management
of age-related macular degeneration
(AMD). A critical review by J. Roider
leaves the reader with substantial
doubt about the effectiveness of
‘transpupillary thermotherapy’ (TTT).
J.C. van Meurs describes a new
approach beyond macular transloca-
tion. It focuses on the need of
autologous translocation of a sheet
of retinal pigment epithelial cells
(RPE) from the mid-periphery to the
diseased macular area. Preliminary
results are reported to be promising
although post-operative proliferative
vitreoretinopathy (PVR) had to be
treated in the majority of 18 patients.
Present knowledge of the activation
F. Koerner (*)
University of Bern,
Bern, Switzerland
e-mail: fritz.koerner@bbox.ch
and differentiation of RPE cells under
experimental and clinical conditions is
presented in a chapter by C. Sheridan
et al. A clinically oriented overview of
the etiology and management of reti-
nal giant tears is given in an article by
M. Snead. Risk factors and various
measures in preventing PVR are the
subject of two chapters by C.H. Kon
et al. and D.G. Charteris, respectively.
Besides well-known biological and
surgical risk factors, an interesting
‘PVR score’ based on multivariate
statistics is cited the use of which
needs to be proven in clinical praxis.
Unfortunately, the formula of the
score given in both chapters is not
quite identical due to a misprint. The
article on prevention of PVR fails to
mention the potential effect of local
and systemic corticosteroids that are
apparently often used by surgeons on
a ‘non-evidence basis’. The back-
ground of the various effects and side
effects of tamponade agents is ex-
plained in an article by D. Wong. The
book closes with a chapter of T.H.
Williamson on various aspects of
vitreo-retinal surgery in inflammatory
diseases and lymphoma.
The book is quite easy to read. It is
written in perfect English. I would
recommend this volume as comple-
ment reading for vitreo-retinal sur-
geons and researchers as well as for
residents and fellows in ophthalmolo-
gy. The book may also serve as a very
useful searching tool for recent publi-
cations in the field.
1072