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Updated: Jun 8, 2026
Implantation Protocol of the Foldable Capsular Vitreous Body for Complex Vitreoretinal Surgery
Published on: April 14, 2026
Conventional surgery for complicated retinal detachment in silicone oil-filled eyes
Mehmet A Acar1, Nurten Ünlü, Dicle Hazirolan
1Department of Ophthalmology, Ankara Research and Training Hospital, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey. macar06@hotmail.com
Purpose:
To evaluate the anatomic and functional outcomes of conventional surgery in silicone oil (SO)-filled eyes with complicated retinal detachment (RD).
Methods:
The records of patients who underwent scleral buckling surgery for complex RD in SO-filled eyes were retrospectively reviewed. Conventional RD surgery involved a 2.5-mm encircling band, 6-mm silicone strip for the inferior quadrants or local sponge implant, subretinal fluid (SRF) drainage, and/or SO aspiration with a 27-G needle. Cryotherapy and/or laser photocoagulation was applied around the tears and 360° of the peripheral retina.
Results:
In all, 4 of the cases had retinal breaks in the lower quadrants, 1 of which had a macular hole; recurrence was due to proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) in the 3 other cases. Three cases were treated with external SRF drainage, 3 cases with SO aspiration, and 1 case with both external drainage and SO aspiration. The retina was attached at the last follow-up visit in 6 (85.7%) of the 7 eyes. One of the cases required secondary vitreoretinal surgery for recurrent RD due to PVR and still had SO tamponade at last follow-up visit. Mean follow-up period was 17.28 ± 8.64 months. Mean logMAR visual acuity was 1.47 ± 0.47 preoperatively and 1.4 ± 0.97 postoperatively.
Conclusions:
Inferior RD in eyes treated with silicone oil tamponade, with or without a retinal break, can be treated with scleral buckling surgery, external SRF drainage, and/or pars plana SO aspiration with satisfactory functional and anatomic outcomes in selected complicated RD cases.
