Purpose: To analyze the clinical risk factors of the occurrence of retinal redetachment after expected silicone oil removal.
Methods: Clinical data were studied retrospectively. A total of 105 eyes of 104 consecutive patients were enrolled according to the criteria as follows: the expected intraocular silicone oil removal was performed after pars plana vitrectomy for complicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD); the retina was flat during silicone oil tampanade; the patients were dealt with by the same surgeon.
Results: With a mean postoperative follow-up of 310 days, 11 of 105 eyes (10.4%) developed retinal redetachment after silicone oil removal. The redetachment rate was higher in the aphakic eyes (21.1%) than in the phakic/pseudophakic eyes (4.5%) (OR 5.69, P < 0.05). However, the factors, including giant tear, PVR grade C3 and D, previous failed retinal detachment surgery, high myopia, had no significance with retinal redetachment (Ps > 0.05). Among the 77 eyes undergoing prophylactic 360 degree laser retinopexy before silicone oil removal, 4 eyes had retinal redetachment (5.2%). The redetachment ratio was lower than those without prophylactic laser retinopexy (OR 0.16, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Aphakia is a risk factor of retinal detachment after removal of silicone oil. Prophylactic 360 degree laser retinopexy can reduce the incidence of retinal redetachment.