Paul Sullivan: catalyst in the history and use of intraocular sulfur hexafluoride

The use of air to attempt to reattach the retina dates back to 1909. However, despite the widespread use of intraocular air in the 1950s and 1960s, retinal surgeons struggled with the main limitation of the device (ie, the relatively short duration of the gas within the vitreous cavity). Fortuitous events in the late 1960s allowed Paul Sullivan, MD, to introduce the first expansile gas, sulfur hexafluoride, to Edward W.D. Norton, MD, and his colleagues at the University of Miami. The use of sulfur hexafluoride helped revolutionize retinal detachment surgery and allowed for further advances in treating other posterior segment diseases.