[Retinal holes - cause and therapeutical key of retinal detachments. Iatrogenic holes (author's transl)].

The author reports on 20 hopeless cases of retinal detachment with no visible retinal hole after vitrectomy and membrane-peeling procedures. Nearly all these cases showed a funnel-shaped rigid retinal detachment. In order to perform an internal drainage and air tamponade from inside a iatrogenic hole was cut in the periphery of the retina. The hole was necessary for the internal drainage of the subretinal fluid. The air tamponade forced the retina to unfold. Astonishingly, in 12 out of these 20 cass the retina became reattached.