Silicone oil tamponade in 23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy

PURPOSE: To describe 20 consecutive patients treated with 23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy and silicone oil tamponade for retinal detachments (RD) of different etiologies. METHODS: Prospective case series. Twenty patients with complex retinal detachment were submitted to a primary 23-gauge transconjunctival pars plana vitrectomy: rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (RRD + PVR) in 7 cases, diabetic tractional retinal detachment (DTRD) in 5 cases, giant retinal tear (GRT) in 2 cases, RRD with multiple tears in 2 cases, GRT + uveitis in 1 case, RRD + uveitis in 1 case, DTRD + RRD in 1 case, and RRD + PVR with intraocular foreign body (IOFB) in 1 case. Length of postoperative follow up ranged from 3 to 14 months. RESULTS: Final visual acuity ranged from 20/25 to hand motion. Postoperatively, none of the 20 eyes had hypotony or leakage of silicone oil through the sclerotomies. Seventeen out of 20 (85%) had improved vision. CONCLUSION: Silicone oil tamponade was demonstrated to be a feasible option in conjunction with 23-g transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy to treat complex retinal detachment.