[C3F8 use in Descemet detachment after cataract surgery].
BACKGROUND
Descemet's membrane detachment is a rare but serious complication following cataract surgery. Extensive detachments that affect the visual axis may result in poor vision and require penetrating corneal grafts. Some alternatives have been used to reattach Descemet's membrane: air bubble, transcorneal sutures and intracameral viscoelastic gel plus SF6 or C3F8 gas.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the use of non-expanding (16%) intracameral C3F8 to reattach Descemet's membrane, in six patients, following cataract surgery.


METHODS
The patient's mean age was 71.3 +/- 9.3. Four of the patients were females and two masculine. Immediately after the gas injection the patient was submitted to slit-lamp evaluation to verify the position of Descemet's membrane. The patients who had eyes with central or superior detachments were told to sit upright for two days. The patients whose eyes had inferior detachments were asked to lie on their back.


RESULTS
All patients had successful reattachment of Descemet's membrane after the gas injection. We observed increase in intraocular pressure in one case. The corneal edema regressed after the second day with total resolution by the fourth day. Visual acuity improved in all cases after regression of the edema and remained stable after forty-five days.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of non-expanding C3F8 alone for reattaching Descemet's membrane is reported for the first time in the Brazilian literature. Improvement in visual acuity is fast, the method is safe, effective and easily performed under topical anesthesia.
Lucena
Abrahão da Rocha
Ada R
Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. abrahaolucena@bol.com.br
Lucena
David da Rocha
Dda R
Macedo
Emília Lucena
EL
Ferreira
Juliana de Lucena Martins
Jde L
de Lucena
Aristóteles Rolim
AR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003886:Descemet Membrane; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D005466:Fluorocarbons; C042852:perflutren