Surgical treatment of superior bullous rhegmatogenous retinal detachments

The results in 90 patients with superior bullous rhegmatogenous detachments operated on over a period of 10 years are presented. In only 70% of cases treated by scleral buckling, with or without drainage of subretinal fluid, was retinal reattachment achieved with a single operation. More recently the treatment of patients by external drainage, air injection into the vitreous cavity, and subsequent buckling has improved the success rate to 96%. It is suggested that the latter method be the surgical treatment of choice in such cases.