Evaluation of long-term outcomes associated with extended heavy-silicone oil use for the treatment of inferior retinal detachment

To evaluate macular status with optical coherence tomography (OCT) in eyes that underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and heavy-silicone oil (HSO) endotamponade for the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with inferior breaks. Twenty eyes of 20 patients who have RRD with inferior breaks included in the study. Oxane HD was used as an intraocular tamponade for all surgeries. Postoperatively, anatomic reattachment, macular status using OCT imaging, and any long-term complications were evaluated. The mean age was 60.4 ± 11.2 years (range, 37–83). The duration of HSO endotamponade was 15.3 ± 11.0 months (range, 6–48) with some postoperative complications such as HSO emulsification, intraocular pressure elevation, and epiretinal membrane (ERM) formation. Mean follow-up time was 19.5 ± 10.5 months (range, 10–59) after HSO removal or ERM surgery. Primary reattachment was achieved in 90% of eyes and the success rate was 100% with further interventions. Ellipsoid zone (EZ) was continuous in 13 of 20 eyes in which OCT imaging performed as well as the fellow eye. PPV and heavy-silicone oil injection for the treatment of eyes with RRD from inferior break(s) have a good long-term EZ continuity. ERM formation and its removal do not affect EZ.