Pneumatic retinopexy. A multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial comparing pneumatic retinopexy with scleral buckling. The Retinal Detachment Study Group.

Pneumatic retinopexy was compared with scleral buckling in a multicenter (7 centers), randomized, controlled, clinical trial with 198 patients. Admission criteria included detachments with retinal break(s) no greater than 1 clock hour in size, within the superior two thirds of the fundus, without significant proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). All patients were followed for at least 6 months. Scleral buckling was compared with pneumatic retinopexy with regard to single-operation reattachment (82 versus 73%), reattachment with one operation and postoperative laser/cryotherapy (84 versus 81%), overall reattachment with reoperations (98 versus 99%), final visual acuity of 20/50 or better in eye with preoperative detachment of the macula for 2 weeks or less (56 versus 80%), PVR (5 versus 3%), and new retinal breaks (13 versus 23%). Complications, including reoperations, as measured by the "score" system, were similar. The anatomic results of the two operations were not significantly different (P greater than 0.05), but pneumatic retinopexy had less morbidity and better postoperative visual acuity (P = 0.01). Pneumatic retinopexy is recommended for cases meeting the admission criteria.