Displacement of Retained Subretinal Perfluorocarbon Liquid Through Therapeutic Retinal Detachment Induced by Balanced Salt Solution Injection

PURPOSE: To report a case of displacement of retained subretinal perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) through therapeutic retinal detachment (RD) induced by balanced salt solution (BSS) injection. METHODS: This is a surgical case report. We present a case of a 61-year-old woman who presented with subretinal PFCL at the papillo-macular bundle with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/200 at four weeks following RD surgery in her right eye. She underwent a three-port pars plana vitrectomy with therapeutic RD of a portion of the posterior pole and inferior periphery induced by BSS injection, followed by complete air-fluid exchange, and kept an upright position for three days to force the displacement of the PFCL bubble towards the inferior retinal periphery. BCVA assessment, dilated fundus examination (DFE), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed before and after the surgery. RESULTS: Two weeks after the procedure, BCVA improved to 20/40, the subretinal PFCL was not visible on DFE, and a control OCT confirmed displacement of the PFCL bubble with atrophy at the papillo-macular bundle. There were no complications. CONCLUSION: Displacement of retained subretinal PFCL through therapeutic RD induced by BSS injection seems to be an effective technique with fewer potential complications in comparison to the more traditional approach of removal by direct aspiration.