Trans-Tenon's retrobulbar triamcinolone acetonide infusion for refractory diabetic macular edema after vitrectomy

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of trans-Tenon's retrobulbar triamcinolone acetonide (TA) infusion for the treatment of refractory diabetic macular edema (DME) after vitrectomy. After topical anesthesia, 20 eyes from 20 patients with persistent DME after pars plana vitrectomy were treated with trans-Tenon's retrobulbar infusion of 40 mg TA through an inferotemporal approach. The mean duration (+/-SD) between vitrectomy and trans-Tenon's retrobulbar TA infusion was 11.4+/-7.9 months. The mean follow-up period (+/-SD) after trans-Tenon's retrobulbar TA infusion was 13.3+/-2.8 months. At 1 week after trans-Tenon's retrobulbar TA infusion, the mean central retinal thickness (+/-SD) measured by optical coherence tomography was 381+/-99 mum, which was a statistically significant decrease in comparison with the preoperative thickness (555+/-112 mum) (P