Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To study the long-term outcome of patients following transient F6H8 internal tamponade in a group of patients with previous vitreoretinal interventions. Methods: Between 1.1.1999 and 30.6.2002 F6H8 was applied in 19 eyes of 19 patients (12 male, 7 female, median age: 66 years, range: 34-88) with retinal detachment in the lower quadrants. The majority of patients had been subject to several major surgical interventions previously (range: 1-6). F6H8 internal tamponade was applied for a median duration of 25 days (range: 21-36, discontinuation after 7 days in one case). The median follow-up period was 15 months (range: 3-36). Results: Primary retinal reattachment was achieved in 17/19 eyes (89 %). Redetachment of the retina occurred in 12/19 of these eyes within the first postoperative months and could be reversed by secondary interventions in 5/12 cases so that finally a complete attachment of the retina was achieved in 12/19 eyes and a partial attachment in another 5/19 (2/19 total detachment). In all phakic eyes secondary cataract formation was observed within the first preoperative months after removal of F6H8. In patients with long term observation >6 months (n=16) hypotony was a frequent finding (14/16, 88%, 3x transient, 11x permanent). Typically hypotony developed with a latency of 2 to 3 months after F6H8 removal and was not related to the status of the retina. Conclusions: Internal tamponade with F6H8 may be a helpful intraoperative tool during vitreoretinal interventions. Use of F6H8 as a transient postoperative internal tamponade has to be discussed critically with regard to the observed high incidence of latent hypotony development.
Keywords: vitreous substitutes • retinal detachment • vitreoretinal surgery