Postoperative Outcomes of 1-Month Silicone Oil Tamponade in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: A Multicenter Study

The aim of study was to investigate postoperative outcomes in patients who underwent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery.

This was a multicenter retrospective study involving 263 patients who underwent silicone oil (SiO) tamponade for RRD. Patients were divided into three groups based on the SiO tamponade: 1 month (group 1, n = 55), 3 months (group 2, n = 176), and 6 months (group 3, n = 32). The main outcomes were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), and retinal structure 1 month after silicone oil removal (SOR).

In the analysis of retinal structure in post-SOR, the median central macular thickness (CMT) in groups 1, 2, and 3 was 182.5 μm (IQR: 156.0-214.0), 170.0 μm (IQR: 140.3-211.5), and 152.0 μm (IQR: 92.3-195.3), and the median ganglion cell layer-inner plexiform layer (GCL-IPL) in groups 1, 2, and 3 was 80.5 μm (IQR: 70.0-92.3), 73.0 μm (IQR: 65.0-81.3), and 65.0 μm (IQR: 56.3-79.0), respectively. Both CMT and GCL-IPL differed significantly with the group 1 exhibiting the thickest retinal structure (p = 0.03 and p = 0.006). IOP differed significantly across groups, with group 3 showing the highest IOP in post-SOR (p = 0.015). However, there were no significant differences in BCVA, inner retinal layer thickness, outer retinal layer thickness, or submacular fluid among the groups.

Prolonged SiO tamponade is correlated with increased IOP and the thinning of the CMT and GCL-IPL over time, with favorable postoperative outcomes for 1-month SiO tamponade. Given the potential risks of extended tamponade, it is advisable to remove SiO as soon as anatomically feasible.