title: Timing and outcomes after silicone oil removal in proliferative vitreoretinopathy: a retrospective clinical series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate anatomical and functional outcomes after silicone oil extraction in patients with retinal detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy in an eye care referral center in Joinville, SC, southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, noncomparative study of patients with retinal detachment and posterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy followed up after silicone oil removal. Prophylactic 360-degree peripheral laser photocoagulation was performed one to three months before silicone oil extraction. Patients with cataract underwent a combined clear corneal phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation in the same procedure. Anatomical outcomes were related to the duration of silicone oil tamponade and the surgical procedure performed. Functional outcomes were divided into three categories (stability, worsening, or improvement) according to visual acuity variation before the surgery and at the last follow-up visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three patients were followed up for a mean period of 1,262 days. Fourteen eyes (26.4%) underwent cataract surgery combined with silicone oil extraction. Forty-eight eyes (90.5%) had attached retina at the last follow-up examination. Time of intraocular tamponade and association of phacoemulsification with silicone oil extraction were not considered as risk factors for retinal redetachment. Twenty-three cases (43.4%) showed visual acuity improvement, whereas 11 cases (20.8%) were stable and 19 cases (35.8%) showed visual acuity worsening. Five patients with attached retina had unexplained optic disc atrophy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients had good anatomical and visual outcomes after silicone oil extraction. Prophylactic 360-degree laser retinopexy may have led to favorable outcomes. Benefits of silicone oil extraction and the associated risks of complications due to a new surgical procedure must be carefully evaluated before surgical indication.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Olhos de Londrina (HOFTALON), Londrina, PR - BrazilRua Belo Horizonte 1330, ap 1401, Londrina, PR CEP 86020-060 Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Leite De Pinho
authors.initials: RLP
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Olhos Sadalla, Universidade da Região de Joinville, Amin Ghanem, Joinville, SC Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário Junqueira
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nóbrega
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Alfenas (UNIFENAS), Alfenas, MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Amaral Junqueira
authors.initials: FAJ
authors.lastname: Nóbrega
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Olhos Sadalla, Universidade da Região de Joinville, Amin Ghanem, Joinville, SC Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: De Novelli
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Olhos de Londrina (HOFTALON), Londrina, PR - BrazilRua Belo Horizonte 1330, ap 1401, Londrina, PR CEP 86020-060 Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Augusto Cardim
authors.initials: CAC
authors.lastname: De Oliveira
keywords: Proliferative vitreoretinopathy; Retinal detachment; Silicone oil