The combined use of perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8) and silicone oil as an intraocular tamponade in the treatment of severe retinal detachment.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined use of perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8) and 1,000-centistoke silicone oil as a long-term intraocular tamponade in the treatment of complicated retinal detachment.


METHODS
Sixty consecutive eyes affected by complicated retinal detachment with (1) retinal breaks of the lower two quadrants and severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy, (2) inferior giant retinal tear, (3) penetrating trauma or (4) choroidal detachment underwent pars plana vitrectomy using a combined internal tamponade of F6H8 and silicone oil. The double filling (DF) was removed after 40-50 days. The anatomical outcome and the complications due to the DF are reported.


RESULTS
Retinal reattachment was achieved in all but one patient. Thirty-eight (63%) eyes needed further surgery with silicone oil tamponade. Silicone oil was successfully removed in 22 eyes. Sixteen (27%) eyes had retained silicone oil at the last follow-up examination. One eye showed persistent retinal detachment despite further surgery. Main complications of the DF were recurrent retinal detachment of the upper retina in six (10%) eyes and membrane formation in 25 (42%) eyes.


CONCLUSIONS
A combined internal tamponade of F6H8 and silicone oil may be a useful tool in the treatment of complicated retinal detachment involving the lower quadrants of the retina.
Santa Chiara Hospital, Eye Surgery Clinic, Via Roma 67, 56100 Pisa, Italy. chiroftalmica@ao-pisa.toscana.it
Stanislao
S
Rizzo
Federica
F
Genovesi-Ebert
Claudia
C
Belting
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004322:Drainage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012827:Silicone Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014783:Viscosity; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy
D005466:Fluorocarbons; D012827:Silicone Oils; C118616:perfluorohexyl-octan