Pneumatic retinopexy. A two-step outpatient operation without conjunctival incision

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Surgery

Background:

• Traditional retinal detachment surgery involves subretinal fluid drainage and scleral buckling, associated with significant complications.
• A need exists for less invasive and safer surgical techniques for retinal detachment.

Observation:

• A simplified pneumatic retinopexy procedure using transconjunctival cryotherapy and intravitreal gas injection was evaluated.
• The study included 20 patients with specific types of retinal detachments (superior, single breaks, no proliferative vitreoretinopathy).

Findings:

• Initial retinal reattachment was achieved in all 20 patients.
• The final cure rate after six months was 90%, with two recurrences successfully treated by scleral buckling.
• No major complications were observed during the study.

Implications:

• Pneumatic retinopexy offers potential advantages including reduced tissue trauma, outpatient treatment, minimal complications, and lower costs.
• The primary limitation is the requirement for five days of postoperative positioning.