Retinal detachment after primary pneumatic retinopexy.

PURPOSE: To describe the characteristics and outcome of patients who required retinal reattachment surgery after pneumatic retinopexy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

METHODS: Retrospective review of patients who underwent retinal reattachment surgery after pneumatic retinopexy at a multioffice retina practice. Patients with <6 months follow-up were excluded.

RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-nine eyes from 289 patients underwent pneumatic retinopexy and 50 eyes of 50 patients were included in this study. The mean follow-up time was 28 +/- 20.4 months (range, 6-76 months). The most common cause of detachment was development of a new retinal detachment (72%) associated with the development of a new retinal break (75%). Increased or persistent subretinal fluid associated with the original detachment was the cause of detachment in 28% of eyes. The mean number of procedures for retinal reattachment was 1.4 +/- 0.9 (range, 1-5) with the majority (72%) reattached with 1 surgery. The mean visual acuity on presentation was 20/125 (range, 20/20-hand movements) and at the final visit was 20/50 (range, 20/20-counting fingers).

CONCLUSION: Retinal reattachment surgery after pneumatic retinopexy is successful with anatomic and functional improvement. The most common cause of detachment is the formation of new inferior retinal detachment caused by a new break.