DENSIRON 68 HEAVY SILICONE OIL AS A SHORT-TERM INTRAOCULAR TAMPONADE FOR MACULA-ON INFERIOR RETINAL DETACHMENTS—A CASE SERIES

Purpose: To describe our experience using short-term heavy silicone oil (Densiron 68) for macula-on inferior rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with inferior retinal breaks. Methods: Retrospective, consecutive, observational case series. Data were retrospectively collected from the medical records of patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy and Densiron 68 endotamponade for macula-on rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair. Results: Eight patients were included in the study. The mean patient age was 57.1 ± 12.3 (±SD) years. The mean time to Densiron 68 removal was 57.8 ± 17.8 (±SD) days (ranging from 24 to 83 days). One patient (12.5%) detached three weeks after Densiron 68 removal and required further surgery. All patients were attached at last follow-up with a mean follow-up of 192 days. The mean final best-corrected visual acuity was 20 of 40 (0.29 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) similar to the 20 of 45 preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (0.35 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, P = 0.501). No significant emulsification was noted before or during the removal of the Densiron 68. Two patients developed an increase in intraocular pressure before Densiron 68 removal that resolved after removal. One patient developed cystoid macular edema that resolved with a short course of topical medications, and one patient had persistent CME that required an intravitreal triamcinolone acetate 1% injection. Conclusion: The high anatomic success rate, good visual outcomes, and minimal complications suggest that Densiron 68 can be considered as a short-term tamponade for macula-on retinal detachments with inferior pathology.