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Review
. 2013 Oct;27(4):271-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.sjopt.2013.10.004. Epub 2013 Oct 17.

Chromovitrectomy: update

Affiliations
Review

Chromovitrectomy: update

Ali M Al-Halafi. Saudi J Ophthalmol. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

The basic concept for the application of vital dyes during vitreoretinal surgery is to assist in highlighting preretinal membranes and tissues which are very thin and semitransparent and thus difficult to detect. The vital dyes may be classified according to different criteria, where the most commonly applied includes chemical classification. In ophthalmic surgery, vital dyes are widely used in cataract and vitreoretinal surgery. The vital dyes, indocyanine green, infracyanine green, and brilliant blue stain the internal limiting membrane, and trypan blue and triamcinolone acetonide help to visualize epiretinal membranes and vitreous, respectively. This review exhibits the current literature regarding the properties of vital dyes, techniques of application, indications, and toxicities during vitreoretinal surgery and, also suggests that the field of chromovitrectomy represents an expanding area of research.

Keywords: Chromovitrectomy; Indocyanine green; Internal limiting membrane; Vital dyes; Vitreoretinal surgery.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Vitreal injection of indocyanine green (ICG) to stain Internal limiting membrane (ILM) in maculer hole surgery.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Brilliant blue is an excellent tool in optimizing internal limiting membrane peeling which enables a clear distinction between the unstained retina and the stained overlying fine ILM tissue.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The steroid triamcinolone acetonide (TA) stains the vitreous powerfully and by that means ensures that the whole posterior vitreous cortex is removed during surgery.
None

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