title: Short-term external buckling with pneumatic retinopexy for retinal detachment with inferior retinal breaks.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To introduce a new approach for short-term external scleral buckling with pneumatic retinopexy for the management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with inferior retinal breaks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of 33 consecutive eyes of 31 patients who underwent external buckling with pneumatic retinopexy for uncomplicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with inferior retinal breaks from December 2006 through December 2010. An external buckle was made of a 505 sponge sutured along the blunt side of a 279 tyre (MIRA Inc). The buckle was inserted deeply into the inferior fornix without suture after pneumatic retinopexy and was kept in place for 3 days. Primary and final anatomic outcomes, visual acuity, and adverse events were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients tolerated the procedure. The mean follow-up period was 24.0 months (range, 9 to 61 months). Primary success, defined as successful retinal reattachment within 6 months without further treatment, was achieved in 29 (87.9%) eyes. All patients attained final retinal reattachment (100%). Overall, the mean best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly at the end of follow-up (0.30 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution units; Snellen equivalent, 6/12), compared with the preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (0.82 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution units; Snellen equivalent, 6/38; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term external buckling with pneumatic retinopexy is a novel and effective treatment for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with inferior retinal breaks, with a comparable success rate with other treatment methods. This approach also can avoid complications of long-term buckle implantation. Further comparative cohort studies may be necessary to compare the clinical efficacy with other conventional operations.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Hui-Chen
authors: HC
authors: Cheng
authors: Shui-Mei
authors: SM
authors: Lee
authors: Fenq-Lih
authors: FL
authors: Lee
authors: Jorn-Hon
authors: JH
authors: Liu
authors: Chieh-Hsiung
authors: CH
authors: Kuan
authors: Po-Kang
authors: PK
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003452:Cryosurgery; D058450:Endotamponade; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016684:Prone Position; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012591:Scleral Buckling / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons; C042852:perflutren