The treatment of difficult retinal detachments with an expanding gas bubble without vitrectomy.

In a prospective study on the use of perfluorocarbon gases (CF4, C2F6, C3F8) without prior mechanical vitrectomy, 51 retinal detachments that were not suitable for scleral buckling were treated by injection of a small bubble of gas into the vitreous to form a tamponade. There were 23 patients with giant tears, 16 with posterior holes, 9 with breaks at different latitudes, and 3 in whom the gas was used for diagnostic purposes. The gases were sustained at therapeutic volumes for 10-70 days. The tears were sealed with argon or krypton laser. The overall reattachment rate was 71%. Postoperative visual acuity improved or remained the same in all patients with reattached retina. In a follow-up of 1 year-38 months there were no late complications, such as cataract, glaucoma, keratopathy, or subsequent visual deterioration.