Full Thickness Macular Hole Closure after Exchanging Silicone-Oil Tamponade with C(3)F(8) without Posturing

Purpose

To report a case of macular hole closure after the exchange of a silicone-oil tamponade with gas C₃F₈ 14%.

Method

A 64-year-old female patient with a stage IV macular hole underwent a three-port pars-plana vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling. Due to the patient''s chronic illness (respiratory problems), a silicone-oil tamponade was preferred. However, the macula hole was still flat opened four months postoperatively. Therefore, the patient underwent an exchange of silicone oil with gas C₃F₈ 14%. No face-down position was advised postoperatively due to her health problems.

Results

Macular hole closure was confirmed with optical coherence tomography six weeks after exchanging the silicone oil with gas.

Conclusions

Macular hole surgery using a silicone-oil tamponade has been proposed as treatment of choice for patients unable to posture. In our case, the use of a long-acting gas (C₃F₈ 14%), even without posturing, proved to be more effective.Key Words: Internal limiting membrane peeling, Long-acting gas, Idiopathic macular hole, Vitrectomy, Silicone-oil tamponade