Encapsulation of scleral buckling materials. A study of sixty specimens

The purpose of the study was to obtain information on the encapsulation of two nonabsorbable biomaterials (silicone and hydrogel) used as explants in scleral buckling in retinal detachment surgery.

The study design was a histopathologic study on a cohort of capsule fractions and complete eyes.

Fifty-nine patients participated in this study, in which 60 specimens, including 37 hydrogel and 21 silicone capsule specimens as well as 2 whole eyes, were gathered. There were no control subjects.

The capsule specimens were obtained from eyes operated on previously for scleral buckling for retinal detachment. The two whole eyes were enucleated. All specimens were studied with routine optic microscopy.

Patient characteristics, type of scleral buckling, and number of operations performed were analyzed. Histologically, the capsular structure, its interface with the explant, and its different components also were studied. Remnants of the buckling material also were investigated.

There were 45 male and 14 female patients, with a mean age of 49 years. Histologically, capsule specimens had a fibrous matrix with fibroblasts and few inflammatory cells. Eighteen (48.6%) of 37 hydrogel capsule specimens displayed hydrogel fragments surrounded by a foreign body giant cell granuloma in 16 cases.

Nonabsorbable materials undergo encapsulation after implantation on the eye surface. Giant cell granuloma was observed in some hydrogel capsule specimens in relation to hydrogel fragmentation. The exact origin of this fragmentation remains unknown.