[Perfluorohexyloctane as internal tamponade in patients with complicated retinal detachment. Results after 6 months]

Perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8) is the first medium that can be transiently used as postoperative heavy vitreous substitute expanding the technique of intraocular tamponade by the principle of an inferiorly acting medium. Legally it can be used for up to 3 months. So far very few clinical reports are available on the efficacy and possible complications of F6H8. It was the aim to analyze this in a group of patients with retinal redetachment after one or several previous retinal/vitreoretinal interventions.

This study included 17 patients (10 male, 7 female, median age 66 years, range 34-88 years) with a complicated retinal redetachment (at least inferior quadrants). Median duration of intraocular F6H8 use was 25 days. Follow-up was limited to 6 months.

Primary retinal reattachment could be achieved in 16/17 eyes. 8/17 developed retinal redetachment during follow-up. After additional surgery 12/17 presented complete retinal attachment, 4/17 subtotal attachment and 1/17 total retinal detachment. The latter was enucleated as a consequence of several further complications such as chronic hypotony, severe keratopathy and painful atrophy. The spectrum of complications during and after F6H8 tamponade included dispersion 17/17 (10/17 clinical, 7/17 minor), hypotony (endpoint) 14/17, massive cell precipitation on lens/IOL or in the anterior segment 7/17, severe progression of capsular fibrosis (8/17), and keratopathy 6/17.

The spectrum of postoperative complications after F6H8 use, especially the high proportion of eyes with chronic hypotony, indicates that F6H8 may not be a recommendable option in eyes with a complicated surgical history.