EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE FORMATION AFTER INTRAVITREAL AUTOLOGOUS STEM CELL IMPLANTATION IN A RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA PATIENT.

A retrospective case report of a retinitis pigmentosa patient who underwent vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane after intravitreal autologous stem cell implantation.A 71-year-old female RP patient came to our clinic for ophthalmic evaluation after intravitreal autologous stem cell injection. Four months ago, she underwent intravitreal autologous stem cell injection for both eyes at another hospital. New thick epiretinal membrane (ERM) with extensive macular pucker was found on her left eye. She underwent pars plana vitrectomy and membranectomy. After biopsy, many CD34-positive stem cells were detected in ERM specimen.This is the first report of ERM formation following intravitreal autologous stem cells injection. CD34-positive stem cells were detected in a human eye at 4 months after injection. Further studies are needed to determine how stem cells caused ERM and how long they would stay in the eye.