Long-term results of pneumatic retinopexy

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term outcome (>6 years) of retinal reattachment by pneumatic retinopexy. Methods: Seventy-eight eyes were examined retrospectively after treatment of a retinal detachment with pneumatic retinopexy. The average follow-up period was 6.35 years. The fundus was examined and visual acuity was documented and compared to that of the fellow eye. Any reoperations were evaluated. Results: In 98.7% of cases permanent reattachment of the retina was achieved. In 85.9% the primary intervention had been successful. However, the retina redetached in 19.4% of these during the first 3 months and in a further 4.5% later during the observation period, requiring reoperation. The average number of operations necessary to obtain permanent reattachment of the retina in the 77 eyes was 1.39. One eye was lost due to phthisis bulbi and had to be enucleated. Six years after the first intervention visual acuity of the eyes without reoperation was 0.57 (+/-0.25 SD) with initially detached macula [fellow eye 0.67 (+/-0.27)] and 0.7 (+/-0.27) with attached macula [fellow eye 0.7 (+/-0.25)]. Visual acuity of the eyes with reoperation was 0.36 (+/-0.3) [fellow eye 0.51 (+/-0.29)] with initially detached macula and 0.64 (+/-0.26) [fellow eye 0.63 (+/-0.35)] with attached macula. Conclusion: Six years after initial pneumatic retinopexy the retina was found to be attached in 98.7% of eyes. In 65.4% this result had been achieved by minimally invasive primary surgery alone. The need for reoperation was evident during the first 3 months in 89% of the cases. The final visual outcome was satisfactory overall.