Arteriovenous crossing sheathotomy versus intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection for treatment of macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion.

PURPOSE: To compare the functional and anatomical outcomes of arteriovenous (AV) sheathotomy and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) injection in the treatment of macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

METHODS: Forty eyes of 40 patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO were randomized into two treatment groups. A total of 20 patients received AV sheathotomy (sheathotomy group), and the second group of 20 patients was treated with IVTA (IVTA group). Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity (VA) score, total macular volume measured, and foveal thickness by 3rd generation optical coherence tomography (OCT3) were evaluated as main outcome measurements.

RESULTS: The average changes in ETDRS scores, total macular volumes, and foveal thicknesses compared to baseline values, were significant 3 months and 6 months after treatment in both groups (P < 0.05, paired t-test), but only the IVTA group showed significant improvements 1 month after treatment. The between-group differences in average ETDRS score, total macular volume, and foveal thickness changes were significantly better at 1 month after treatment in the ITVA group (P = 0.026, P < 0.001, P = 0.001, respectively, Student's t-test), at which time IVTA patients had better vision and anatomical outcomes than did those in the sheathotomy group.

CONCLUSIONS: After either AV sheathotomy or IVTA treatment, patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO showed similar functional and anatomical outcomes 6 months later. When the cost and the risks of vitreoretinal surgery are considered, IVTA treatment may be a better treatment option, as the drug yields better short-term outcomes.