Pneumatic retinopexy. Surgical results.

We reviewed 55 consecutive cases of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment treated with pneumatic retinopexy. Eyes with inferior retinal breaks from the 4- to 8-o'clock positions or macular holes with retinal detachment were excluded. Forty-five eyes (82%) were reattached with one operation. Although ten operations failed, nine retinas were subsequently reattached surgically, a 98% overall reattachment rate. Thirty-three (92%) of 36 phakic eyes, eight (66%) of 12 pseudophakic eyes, and four (57%) of seven aphakic retinas were reattached with one operation. In macula-off cases, phakic patients tended to have greater improvement in visual acuity. New breaks occurred in six eyes (11%), five (83%) of which were pseudophakic or aphakic. The safety, efficacy, and indications for pneumatic retinopexy remain to be established by a randomized, controlled, prospective study.