Lipophilic substances in intraocular silicone oil.
OBJECTIVE
To examine intravitreal silicone oil samples for lipophilic substances, including cholesterol, fatty acids, and derived methyl esters.


METHODS
Clinical interventional case series study.


METHODS
The study included 53 patients (53 eyes; mean age 57.6 years) who underwent removal of intravitreal silicone oil used for intraocular tamponade with pars plana vitrectomy for retinal detachment. The silicone oil was removed 8.3 +/- 5.7 months after pars plana vitrectomy and analyzed using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector.


RESULTS
Cholesterol was present in all samples with a mean concentration of 65 +/- 32.3 microg/ml (95% confidence interval: 56.1 to 73.9 microg/ml). The concentration increased (P < .001) with the time of tamponade, and decreased (P = .003) with the age of the patients. Fatty acids along with derived methyl acids were detected in low concentrations in 49 samples (92.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Cholesterol and lipophilic acids accumulate in intravitreal silicone oil used in intraocular tamponade.
Pastor Jimeno
José Carlos
JC
Institute of Applied Ophthalmobiology, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain. pastor@ioba.med.uva.es <pastor@ioba.med.uva.es>
de la Rúa
Enrique Rodríguez
ER
Fernández Martínez
Itziar
I
del Nozal Nalda
M Jesús
MJ
Jonas
Jost B
JB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004322:Drainage; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012827:Silicone Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000737:chemistry
D004952:Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012827:Silicone Oils; D002784:Cholesterol