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Rescue of exposed scleral buckles with cadaveric pericardial patch grafts
D J Weissgold1, R H Millay, T A Bochow
1Retina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 1 South Prospect Street, Burlington, VT 05401, USA.
Purpose:
To describe a new method for salvaging externally exposed silicone scleral exoplants (buckles) to avoid removal and the consequent risk of retinal redetachment.
Design:
A retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series.
Participants:
Four patients with exposed, clinically uninfected scleral buckles after initial surgery for the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.
Intervention:
Processed human donor pericardium patch grafts (Tutoplast; Innovative Ophthalmic Products, INC:, Costa Mesa, CA) were used to cover exposed areas of scleral buckles in concert with conjunctivoplasty.
Main Outcome Measures:
Scleral buckle preservation was the goal of this new treatment strategy.
Results:
In four eyes treated with pericardial patch grafts to cover segments of exposed scleral buckles, three (75%) were managed successfully with one surgery. One eye (25%) had this treatment method fail and required scleral buckle removal.
Conclusions:
Processed human donor pericardium patch grafting is one useful way to avoid removing exposed scleral buckles, and consequently, sparing patients the risk of recurrent retinal detachment.
