Gas tamponade and cyclocryotherapy of a chronic cyclodialysis cleft

To describe a minimally invasive technique to treat a chronic large cyclodialysis cleft that had failed to respond to medical therapy.

A 51-year-old man with a history of blunt trauma developed a unilateral chronic ocular hypotony. He was treated with topical atropine 1% for 3 months. 12 months later, the patient was referred to our glaucoma service for evaluation and treatment of persistent hypotony. Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) displayed a cyclodialysis cleft extending from the 6 to 12 o'clock positions. B-scan echography revealed a peripheral choroidal effusion. A single bubble of 20% sulfur hexafluoride was injected into the vitreous cavity and transconjunctival cyclocryotherapy was performed.

After gas absorption, intraocular pressure increased to 12 mm Hg and became steady during the follow-up. B-scan echography showed the disappearance of choroidal effusion, and UBM displayed a complete closure of the cyclodialysis cleft from the 6 to 8:30 o'clock positions and from the 9:30 to 12 o'clock positions. A small cleft extending from the 8:30 to the 9:30 positions remained after the treatment, but the distance between the scleral spur and the ciliary boby decreased, and the cleft was limited at the back due to the scar formation.

Gas tamponade with cyclocryotherapy represents a minimally invasive technique that is worth considering for patients with cyclodialysis clefts associated with a shallow anterior chamber and that had failed to respond to medical therapy. This technique should be useful in cases of cyclodialysis clefts that are not amenable to treatment with more conservative efforts.