"Micro-Viscous Fluid Control": A Simple Homemade New Tool to Access Subretinal Space in a Controlled Way.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Surgery
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Retained submacular perfluorocarbon liquid bubbles (R-PFCL) and submacular hematomas pose challenges in retinal surgery.
• Accurate delivery of therapeutic agents to the subretinal space is crucial for managing these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, homemade micro-viscous fluid control tool.
• To enable safe extraction of R-PFCL and controlled subretinal injection of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-TPA).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective interventional study utilizing a custom-made micro-viscous fluid control device.
• The device, adapted from a syringe and vitrectomy machine, was used with a 38-G/41-G subretinal needle.
• Evaluated in 12 patients for R-PFCL removal and 32 patients for r-TPA injection in submacular hematomas.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was observed in both groups.
• R-PFCL group: BCVA improved from logMAR 0.99 to 0.75 (P<0.05).
• Submacular hematomas group: BCVA improved from logMAR 1.99 to 0.75 (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• The developed homemade micro-viscous fluid control is a safe and effective tool.
• It allows for controlled extraction of R-PFCL and precise subretinal drug delivery for submacular hematomas.