Postoperative Perfluro-N-Octane tamponade for complex retinal detachment surgery

To study outcomes after using perfluoro-n-octane (PFO) as a short-term postoperative vitreous substitute in eyes undergoing primary vitrectomy with or without sclera buckling for complex rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with inferior/multiple breaks or giant retinal tears (GRTs) or retinal detachment with extensive proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

A prospective study was carried out where in 43 patients (Group 1) PFO was exchanged with silicon oil in the same surgical procedure and in 22 patients (Group 2) PFO was kept for 3 days and then exchanged with silicon oil by a separate surgical procedure. The respective surgeon took the decision whether to exchange PFO on the same day or after 3 days. The patients were followed up for 6 months to analyze the anatomical attachment rates, visual acuity gain, and postoperative complications in both the groups.

There were 33 male and 10 female patients in group 1 and 18 male and 4 female patients in group 2. Mean age distribution in group 1 was 38.88 years (SD ± 21.45) and in group 2 was 38.09 years (SD ± 16.36). Mean preoperative best corrected visual acuity in group 1 was 2.02 ± 0.58 and in group 2 was 2.01 ± 0.53 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR). The LogMAR Visual acuity in group 1 improved to 1.76 ± 0.43 after 1 month (P = 0.01, paired t test) and to 1.62 ± 0.62 after 6 months (P = 0.01, paired T test). This visual acuity in group 2 improved to 1.85 ± 0.42 after 1 month (P = 0.24, paired T test) and 1.90 ± 0.72 after 6 months (P = 0.49, paired T test). There was no difference regarding visual improvement in between two groups after 1 month and 6 months of follow-up (P = 0.125, independent sample T test). The retina was detached in 6 patients (14%) in group 1 and in 7 patients (31%) in group 2 after 6 months of follow-up. There was no statistically significant difference in between two groups regarding final attachment of retina (P = 0.109, Fisher exact test). There was also no significant complication. like increased posterior capsular opacification or glaucoma found after retaining PFO for 3 days. Conclusion: Perfluoro-n-octane is efficacious and safe as a short-term vitreous substitute in primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair cases with inferior/multiple breaks or GRTs or with extensive PVR. But keeping perfluoro-n-octane for 3 days does not significantly reduce the risk of re-detachment with complex rhegmatogenous retinal detachment cases.