Program list

SYMPOSIUM: WEAPONS CHOICES
SECTION: Tamponade
Moderators: Klaus Lucke, Athanasios Nikolakopoulos
Monday, September 15th, 2003 ; 8:30 - 10:30

MANAGEMENT OF COMPLICATED RETINAL DETACHMENT
USING A NEW HEAVY SILICONE OIL
Christophe Morel*, André Mathis, Véronique Pagot-Mathis, Dominique Chauvaud, Pierre Larricart , Isabelle Rico-Lattes, Anne Dumoulin
France

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of a new heavy silicone oil (HSO), with a density of 1.03 and a viscosity of 3000 centistokes, as temporary internal tamponade in selected cases of retinal detachments.
Methods: In this prospective study, thirty patients were operated (inferior or posterior breaks: 17, proliferative vitreoretinopathy C1: 18, and anterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy: 10) with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Heavy silicone oil was injected directly at the end of the operation in 3 cases, by air-HSO exchange in 1 case, and by perfluorocarbon liquid-HSO exchange in 26 cases. Heavy silicone oil was removed in all cases, after 6 weeks to 10 months.
Results: Anatomic success was achieved in 23/30 cases, in 8 cases after one or more reoperations due to redetachment. Elevated intraocular pressure persisted in two cases after HSO removal, controlled by medical therapy. Eight of sixteen phakic eyes developed posterior subcapsular cataract, which required extracapsular extraction in six cases. Emulsification of HSO was observed in two cases.
Conclusion: In view of the results of this prospective study, this new heavy silicone oil appears safe and effective in the management of complicated retinal detachments. We think it can improve the success rate of surgery in selected cases of retinal detachment, especially in inferior or posterior breaks, or when large inferior retinectomy is needed.