Expandable silicone implants for scleral buckling. IV. Experiments with an explant for macular breaks

A new expandable silicone rubber explant used to indent the sclera at the macula was tested experimentally in rabbits. The device consists of a Dacron-reinforced silicone rubber strip that has an expandable portion (or balloon) at its midpoint connected to a silicone filling tube. The explant was expanded with 0.03 to 0.06 ml of an antibiotic solution. Smooth, round buckles that exerted even indentation were produced. A decrease in height of 20% to 50% was observed ophthalmoscopically during six months of follow-up. The degree of buckling can be easily controlled during operation and may be modified postoperatively.