Short-Term Endotamponade With Perfluorocarbon Liquids for Giant Retinal Tear-Associated Retinal Detachment

Purpose: To investigate the use of short-term postoperative endotamponade with perfluorocarbon liquids (PFCLs) for the treatment of giant retinal tear-associated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods: This retrospective study evaluated patients who had 2-stage surgery, which entailed pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) completed in 2 consecutive surgeries spaced 5 days apart, during which a short-term tamponade with PFCL was used (Group 1), and patients who had conventional single-stage PPV with long-term silicone oil (SO) tamponade (Group 2). Results: The study comprised 74 eyes of 68 patients, 52 in Group 1 and 22 in Group 2. The mean (±SD) patient age at presentation was 48.19 ± 15.73 years. Of the cases, 18.9% had high myopia and 13.5% had previous trauma. The improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was significantly better in Group 1 than in Group 2 at all postoperative visits (P = .004, postoperative day [POD] 15; P = .002, POD 90; P = .00006, final follow-up). Anatomic success (an attached retina) was achieved in 82.7% of patients in Group 1 and in 72.7% of patients in Group 2 (P = .33). At the 6-month postoperative follow-up, 54.5% of patients and 50% of patients, respectively, had a logMAR BCVA of 1.00 or better (P = .721). The mean change in intraocular pressure from baseline was statistically significant in both groups (Group 1, P = .012; Group 2, P = .018). Conclusions: Anatomic and functional outcomes in giant retinal tear-associated RRD can be improved with short-term postoperative endotamponade with PFCLs.