Air vs Perfluoropropane Gas in Pneumatic Retinopexy

Long-term results of office-based pneumatic retinopexy using pure air

“…While previous studies2 13 14 have shown the short-term usefulness of pure air, which is often used intraoperatively during vitrectomy surgery, this study demonstrates the long-term efficacy of office-based PR using pure air. The approach achieves a single-operation reattachment rate comparable to PR using long-acting expansile gases.…”

“…Also, the short duration of internal tamponade provided by pure air may be considered a limitation. Clinical experience has shown, however, that even relatively extensive retinal detachments flatten after a day or two, while an air bubble can remain for up to 5 days 4 13 14. Clinical experience17 18 has also shown that, with proper case selection and good patient compliance (positioning), a couple of days are all that is needed to attain successful retinal reattachment.…”

Sutureless 25-Gauge Vitrectomy for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Caused by Superior Breaks Using Air Tamponade

“…In a randomized controlled noninferiority trial comparing air with C3F8 for PR to repair primary RRD, 22 the reattachment rates by a single procedure were 60.3% and 73.0%, and the final reattachment rates were 92.1% and 96.8% for air and C3F8 gas, respectively. The authors concluded that air was associated with a nonsignificantly lower initial reattachment rate but resulted in an equivalent final reattachment rate and final visual recovery.…”

“…In addition, patients with intraocular silicone oil usually need another operation to remove the oil to prevent or treat other complications. 21 In a randomized controlled trial, 22 air was proven to be at least as effective as long-acting gases, such as perfluorpropane (C3F8), for repairing RRD with pneumatic retinopexy (PR). Vitrectomy, on the other hand, has been generally believed to achieve better results than PR for treatment of RRD.…”

Air versus gas tamponade in retinal detachment surgery

“…A similar trend is observed in RRD surgery. The role of air tamponade was investigated in RRD with inferior breaks,3 and even in the treatment of RRD using pneumatic retinopexy good results were claimed 9. Not much has been reported, however, on the outcome of vitrectomy surgery for RRD using air tamponade in general.…”