Treatment of retinal detachments with multiple breaks by pneumatic retinopexy

Pneumatic retinopexy is a recent innovation in the treatment of uncomplicated retinal detachments due to a superior retinal break extending for 30 degrees or less. We describe four patients with retinal detachments involving multiple breaks who were successfully treated by a modification of this technique. One case involved a calculation of the size of the gas bubble required to achieve tamponade of both breaks simultaneously. The gas was then administered in two sequential injections, as the volume was too large to be given in a single dose. In the remaining three cases, the gas bubble was rotated from the position of tamponade for one break into a position where tamponade of the second break or groups of breaks was achieved.