Extension of retinal detachments as a complication of pneumatic retinopexy

Pneumatic retinopexy is a promising new alternative technique to scleral buckling for the treatment of selected cases of retinal detachment. We describe two cases, however, in which intravitreal gas injection caused further extension of the retinal detachment that in one case led to new macular detachment. This complication of pneumatic retinopexy has not been reported before, to our knowledge, and it may represent a significant limitation to the technique.