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Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Formulation and Acoustic Modulation of Optically Vaporized Perfluorocarbon Nanodroplets
Published on: July 16, 2021
SPONTANEOUS RESOLUTION OF SUBMACULAR PERFLUOROCARBON LIQUIDS
Carmen Baumann1, Clarissa Cheng, Assad Jalil
1Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Purpose:
To demonstrate a case of spontaneous resolution of submacular heavy liquid.
Methods:
This is a case report analyzing consecutive data and optical coherence tomography scans of a patient who underwent revisional retinal detachment surgery with pars plana vitrectomy using perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) as an adjunct. Postoperatively submacular PFCL bubbles were noted, and after an only partially successful surgical attempt to remove them, the residual PFCL bubbles were monitored over the course of several months. The primary outcome measure was the anatomical appearance and size of the PFCL bubbles on optical coherence tomography. The secondary outcome measure was the functional outcome based on the best-corrected visual acuity.
Results:
We present a case of retained submacular PFCL after complex retinal detachment repair, which could only partially be removed surgically. However, the remaining PFCL droplets resolved spontaneously over several months, with partial anatomical restoration of the retinal layers and improvement in visual acuity.
Conclusion:
We hypothesize that the PFCL bubble was resorbed presumably by the retinal pigment epithelium.
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