[Pneumatic retinopexy--a study of 7 years experience]

The goal of this study is the evaluation of effectivity and the complications of pneumatic retinopexy in the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment as a long-term follow-up.

This retrospective long-term study covers 89 eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment treated by pneumatic retinopexy between January 1985 and December 1991. With a postoperative follow-up averaging 4.8 years, it constitutes the longest such period published to-date in literature.

The first intervention induced anatomical healing in 73% of all cases. However, 5.5% relapsed with retinal detachment after one month. Following a second intervention (excepting 2 cases) performed with conventional retinal detachment surgery consisting of exoplants + kryopexy + subretinal drainage, successrate was stepped up 97%. A total of 5 eyes required maximum surgery, i.e. vitrectomy + silicone oil tamponade. In 3% this procedure presented the third intervention. Finally anatomical healing was attained in 100% of the eyes. However, after one month 18% developed new retinal tears and after a follow-up period of 5.5 years this figure had risen to 27.7%.

Judged on the basis of the above results, pneumatic retinopexy should only be recommended for the very simplest cases of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (a single tear in the upper fundus half between 10 and 2 o'clock and no pathological changes in the lower fundus half). Also, check-ups at short intervals are required following pneumatic retinopexy. In our opinion standard buckling surgery with additional gas tamponade is preferable.