title: Intracameral perfluoropropane gas in the treatment of acute corneal hydrops.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is aimed to evaluate the role of 14% nonexpansile concentration of perfluoropropane (C(3)F(8)) gas in the management of acute hydrops in corneal ectasias.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, nonrandomized, comparative, interventional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 62 eyes of 57 patients and the control group included 90 eyes of 82 patients with acute corneal hydrops who presented within 30 days of onset of symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients in the control group underwent a single intracameral injection of 0.1 mL of nonexpansile concentration (14%) of C(3)F(8) gas. Patients in the control group were treated conservatively. Patients in both groups were followed regularly for 12.6±7.7 and 13.4±8.3 months in the study and control groups, respectively, and assessed clinically for complete disappearance of epithelial and stromal edema on slit-lamp biomicroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome measure was mean time to resolution of corneal edema, which was calculated both from the date of onset of hydrops and the date of initiation of therapy to the date of resolution in days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall time to resolution both from the date of onset of symptoms (90.5±55.8 vs 125±68.9 days; P = 0.0005) and from the date of initiation of therapy (78.7±53.2 vs 117.9±68.2 days; P = 0.0001) was significantly lower in the study group compared with the control group. However, on subgroup analysis a significant difference in the resolution time was found only in eyes with keratoconus (P<0.0001). No difference in the resolution time was seen in eyes with pellucid marginal corneal degeneration (PMCD) or keratoglobus. The main complication of this procedure was reversible pupillary block (16%; P<0.0001). There was no difference in the final visual acuity or endothelial cell counts between the 2 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intracameral C(3)F(8) gas in a nonexpansile concentration is a useful modality for faster resolution of corneal edema in patients with acute corneal hydrops and keratoconus, and its role in the treatment of PMCD and keratoglobus needs further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Cornea and Anterior Segment Service, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: Sayan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Pravin K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Vaddavalli
authors.forename: Muralidhar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramappa
authors.forename: Sushmita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Somasheila I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: Virender S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Sangwan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000867:Anterior Chamber; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D056965:Injections, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons; C042852:perflutren