Pneumatic retinopexy using only air.

Pneumatic retinopexy was performed using only air in an attempt to minimize vitreous disturbance and lower the incidence of postoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and premacular membranes (PMM). Retinal cryopexy or laser treatment (in 2 cases) and intravitreal injection of 0.8 cc filtered air were performed on 45 rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with superior breaks and no preoperative vitreous hemorrhage or PVR. Reattachment was achieved in 39 (86.7%) eyes. The remaining 6 eyes were secondarily treated with scleral buckle surgery, which was successful in all cases. The average length of follow-up was 17.1 +/- 8.6 months, at which time visual acuity was the same or better in 44 (97.8%) eyes. In 1 case (2.2%) PVR developed, a PMM formed in 1 case (2.2%), and new or missed retinal breaks were found in 4 cases (8.8%). This technique achieves a high rate of reattachment, good visual outcome, and low incidence of PVR, PMM, and new or missed breaks, perhaps due to the short-acting, nonexpansile nature of air.