Trans-scleral dye injection during vitreous surgery to identify clinically undetectable retinal breaks causing retinal detachment.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Finding all retinal breaks is a critical step in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery in order to prevent persistent/recurrent retinal detachment (RD). We describe a technique of trans-scleral dye injection into the subretinal fluid under the detached retina in the context of recurrent/persistent RD in vitrectomized eyes, in order to determine the location of clinically unidentified (occult) retinal breaks causing RD.
METHODS: Retrospective consecutive single-surgeon case-series analysis of patients presenting with a repeat RRD after having been treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) as the method of primary RRD repair. Trans-scleral injection of subretinal vision blue (TSVB) was used to help identify retinal breaks during repeat vitrectomy. OUTCOME MEASURES: successful detection of a break; location of breaks; persistent retinal attachment; final visual acuity (VA); complications.
RESULTS: There were 395 cases of RRD during the 3-year period reviewed. TSVB was used for eight instances in seven eyes. All eight instances were repeat RRD. TSVB facilitated occult break detection in 7/8 instances of use. Breaks were at or adjacent to the previous cryo site in three instances. Persistent retinal attachment was achieved in 5/7 cases. Final VA increased in 5/7 cases. There was no evidence of complications as a result of TSVB injection.
CONCLUSIONS: TSVB coupled with indentation to vent a plume of dye through an occult break during vitreous surgery is a relatively simple technique that may facilitate the identification of occult retinal breaks and help achieve anatomical success and functional success.