Submacular fluid after encircling buckle surgery for inferior macula-off retinal detachment in young patients.
OBJECTIVE
Characterization of persistent diffuse subretinal fluid using optical coherence tomography (OCT) after successful encircling buckle surgery for inferior macula-off retinal detachment in young patients.


METHODS
Institutional retrospective review of six young patients (mean age 31 +/- 6 years; five female, one male) with spontaneous inferior rhegmatogenous macula-off retinal detachment. All patients were treated with encircling buckle surgery and five out of six underwent additional external drainage of subretinal fluid. Mean follow-up was 37 +/- 25 months (range 17-75 months) and included complete ophthalmic and OCT examination.


RESULTS
At 6 months, 100% of patients showed persistence of subretinal fluid on OCT. Four patients had diffuse fluid accumulation, whereas two patients showed a 'bleb-like' accumulation of fluid. This fluid was present independent of whether or not patients had been treated with external fluid drainage. Subretinal fluid only started to disappear on OCT between 6 and more than 12 months after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Young patients with inferior macula-off retinal detachments and a marginally liquefied vitreous may show persisting postoperative subclinical fluid under the macula for longer periods of time than described previously.
Abouzeid
Hana
H
Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Becker
Klio
K
Holz
Frank G
FG
Wolfensberger
Thomas J
TJ
D000328:Adult; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism*; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012591:Scleral Buckling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence