Results of pneumatic retinopexy with air.

Although scleral buckling yields good results in retinal reattachment surgery, we search for less laborious methods which could give the same high cure rate. Fifty-one consecutive patients with phakic, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and breaks within 60 degrees of the upper retinal quadrants were treated by retino-cryopexy, drainage of subretinal fluid (under an operating microscope), and intravitreal injection of air (0.8 to 2.0 ml). Follow-up examinations (after 6 to 12 months) disclosed retinal reattachment in 44 of 51 eyes (86%). Cases with macular detachment showed good visual recovery, and 15 of 23 eyes (65%) achieved 0.5 (20/40) or more in visual acuity. Postoperatively, new retinal breaks occurred in 6%, proliferative vitreoretinopathy in 2%, and macular pucker also in 2%. Pneumatic retinopexy with air is an easy procedure, it is associated with few complications, and enables rapid postoperative recovery.