Full-Thickness Macular Hole Surgery: A Comparison of Ten Techniques

Overview

This study compares ten modern vitreoretinal surgical techniques for full-thickness macular hole repair. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the surgical approaches during pars plana vitrectomy, using stratified randomization based on macular hole size to ensure balanced groups. The main goal is to determine which technique provides the highest anatomical closure rate on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the best visual outcomes. Follow-up visits are scheduled at Day 7, Month 1, and Year 1 after surgery to assess OCT findings, visual acuity, safety outcomes, and the need for reoperation.

Full-thickness macular hole is a vision-threatening condition that is commonly treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. While standard approaches achieve high closure rates in many cases, outcomes may vary depending on macular hole size and OCT morphology, and advanced surgical strategies (e.g., different ILM flap configurations, adjunctive biologic augmentation, hydrodissection, or grafting techniques) are increasingly used in clinical practice. This single-center, randomized, parallel-group interventional study will compare ten PPV-based surgical techniques for full-thickness macular hole repair. Eligible participants will include adults with full-thickness macular hole across a broad range of minimum linear diameter (MLD), including MLD \<250 µm. After eligibility confirmation and informed consent, participants will be randomized to one of the ten procedure groups. Randomization will be stratified by macular hole size into five predefined MLD strata to ensure balanced distribution of hole sizes across all intervention groups. Postoperative care and follow-up procedures will be standardized across groups according to the study protocol. Follow-up visits are scheduled at Day 7, Month 1, and Year 1 after surgery and will include clinical examinations and OCT imaging. The primary endpoint is anatomical macular hole closure on OCT at the prespecified primary time point. Secondary endpoints include best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), OCT-based morphologic recovery parameters, intraoperative and postoperative complication rates, reoperation rates, and adverse event information through Year 1. The study aims to generate evidence to guide selection of surgical technique based on macular hole morphometric and clinical characteristics while maintaining patient safety.