[Drainage of subretinal fluid in our clinical studies]

The studies comprised 531 patients (544 eyes) who underwent retinal detachment surgery in the Ophthalmological Clinic in Cracow, in the years 1983-1992. Drainage of subretinal fluid was performed in 54.6% of the eyes and in this group attachment of the retina was achieved in 72.4% of cases; in the group of patients with nondrainage operations it was 74.5%. Intraocular haemorrhages, the only complications, which may be attributed to the drainage of subretinal fluid were found in 18.9% of eyes with drainage and in 8.1% without; this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Statistically significant relationship (p < 0.01) was also found between subretinal fluid drainage and severity of the retinal detachment. The results showed that there were no significant relationships between drainage of subretinal fluid and the results of surgery and that it is indicated first of all in severe cases of retinal detachment in which method of choice is an encirclement procedure.