[Alternative indications for the use of heavy silicone oil tamponades]

The heavy silicone oil tamponades Densiron and Oxane HD are gaining in popularity amongst vitreoretinal surgeons over recent years. In addition to the classical indications of complicated retinal detachment and PVR, the spectrum is continuously expanding and includes diseases that up to now have been treated with conventional tamponades.

Review of recent studies on vitreoretinal surgery with heavy tamponades outside of surgery for PVR and retinal detachment.

In macular hole surgery, good to excellent anatomic and functional results have been reported using heavy tamponades with primary closure rates of up to 100 % of the cases. In reoperations of reopened macular holes, the reported success rates were between 60 % and 100 %. In the group of patients with foveoschisis or central retinal detachment in high myopia with or without macular hole, relatively high reattachment rates of up to 83 % of the cases have been reported. Other reported indications for the use of heavy tamponades are retinoschisis, retinal necrosis, endophthalmitis, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, branch retinal vein occlusion, retinopathy of prematurity, hypotony and choroidal detachment. The published complication rates are low and do not exceed those of conventional tamponades.

The spectrum of indications for heavy tamponades is constantly expanding. In addition to retinal detachment and PVR surgery, macular holes, reopened macular holes and central retinal detachments or foveoschisis associated with high myopia seem to be the most important diseases that are currently treated with heavy tamponades with good to excellent results published so far. However, a comprehensive comparison with conventional tamponades cannot be made at present because of the limited number of patients and studies published on this subject.