Simultaneous external subretinal fluid drainage and intravitreal gas injection

S. M. Meyers and E. J. FitzGibbon

Simultaneous external subretinal fluid drainage and intravitreal gas injection was performed in 12 patients requiring a large or near-total internal gas tamponade (eight eyes with proliferative vitreo-retinopathy following vitrectomy and four eyes without proliferative vitreoretinopathy that had not undergone vitrectomy). None of the patients had a preexisting or intentional posterior retinal break. The retina was attached six or more months postoperatively in nine of the 12 patients. In one patient, an iatrogenic retinal break occurred without retinal incarceration. In selected cases, this procedure is an alternative to internal fluid-gas exchange through a posterior retinal break, thus avoiding the necessary postoperative facedown position, which is difficult for some patients to maintain. This method may also be used for preventing "fish-mouthed" retinal breaks in selected cases.