Abstract
Background: Removal of silicone oil following successful retinal detachment surgery is usually performed in an attempt to prevent the complications of silicone oil; however, removal of the oil may result in retinal redetachment.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether argon laser retinopexy, weeks prior to the removal of silicone oil, reduces the rate of retinal detachment following silicone oil removal.
Methods: A total of 31 eyes of 31 consecutive patients were followed up for a 12 month period after the removal of silicone oil. All patients had undergone retinal reattachment surgery resulting in a clinically attached retina with the absence of residual retinal traction prior to silicone oil removal. A study group of 15 of the 31 eyes received two rows of 360° of peripheral argon laser retinopexy weeks before removal of the silicone oil. The 16 eyes of the previous 16 consecutive patients, who underwent removal of silicone oil without argon laser retinopexy, were used as a control group.
Results: In the study group 1 of 15 eyes (6.7%) redetached following the removal of silicone oil and 4 of 16 (25%) redetached in the control group during the 12 month follow-up period from operation.
Conclusions: Prophylactic argon laser retinopexy applied weeks before the removal of silicone oil appears to reduce the retinal redetachment rate. A larger prospective randomised trial is needed to confirm these findings.
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Tufail, A., Schwartz, S. & Gregor, Z. Prophylactic argon laser retinopexy prior to removal of silicone oil: A pilot study. Eye 11, 328–330 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1997.69
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1997.69
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