Impact of Intraoperative Early Positioning on Anatomical Success after Inverted Flap Technique in Large Macular Holes: A Retrospective Comparative Study.

Introduction: In this study, we wanted to evaluate the effect of intraoperative early positioning on anatomical success in patients with large macular holes undergoing the inverted flap (IF) technique.

Methods: This retrospective, comparative study included 43 patients diagnosed with a macular hole ≥400 μm in minimum linear diameter who underwent pars plana vitrectomy using the IF technique. Patients were allocated chronologically into two groups: those operated on prior to February 2020 formed the standard positioning group (n = 23), and those treated thereafter composed the early positioning group (n = 20). In the early intraoperative positioning group, the patient's head was turned nasally immediately after the air-fluid exchange to stabilize the IF. In contrast, the standard group followed conventional postoperative prone positioning. The primary outcome was complete macular hole closure, assessed using optical coherence tomography. Secondary outcomes included IF stability, retinal layer integrity, and the need for additional postoperative surgical interventions.

Results: At postoperative month 3, anatomical closure was achieved in all patients (100%) in the early positioning group, compared to 85% in the standard group (p = 0.05). Flap dislocation occurred in 15% of patients in the standard group, while none was observed in the early group (p = 0.05). Preoperative BCVA was 0.67 ± 0.28 logMAR in the early group and 0.65 ± 0.28 logMAR in the standard group (p = 0.74). Postoperative BCVA improved to 0.07 ± 0.08 logMAR and 0.16 ± 0.22 logMAR, respectively (p = 0.09).

Conclusion: Intraoperative early positioning significantly improves anatomical outcomes in large macular hole surgery by enhancing flap stability and promoting successful closure.