Results of 100 aphakic detachments treated with a temporary balloon buckle: a case against routine encircling operations.

One hundred patients with aphakic detachment were treated with temporary balloon buckles. The balloons were deflated and withdrawn after seven to 10 days. Permanent attachment depended on cryo- or laser-induced adhesions round the break. The procedure was initially successful in 79 patients. Ten retinas became detached again after the balloon was withdrawn and required a more permanent buckle. Sixty-nine retinas remained attached. The final results after additional operations were equivalent to those obtained by traditional methods, but significantly fewer complications occurred. The balloon procedure tests the validity of routinely encircling aphakic detachment.