Purpose: We report use of cyanoacrylate (N-butyl-Cyanoacrylate) in previously failed retinal reattachment surgeries for chorio-retinal colobomas. We report the surgical technique, its challenges, and long-term outcomes in three patients who underwent the surgery.
Methods: A chart review of patients with chorio-retinal colobomas and retinal detachment repair with cyanoacrylate at a tertiary eye care center in Nepal. Cyanoacrylate was used to seal colobomatous retinal breaks in eyes which had undergone multiple retinal surgeries with failed outcome.
Results: Three eyes that were operated using cyanoacrylate were included. All three patients had attached retina and none of the patients required a long-term tamponading agent. None of the patients underwent head positioning following the surgery. All of the patients had a visual acuity gain of 3/60 or more at the end of 8 months. No adverse or inflammatory reactions were noted.
Conclusion: We demonstrate that cyanoacrylate is safe and less resource-demanding without a requirement of second surgery to remove a tamponading agent. It could be helpful in eyes with persistent retinal detachment in colobomatous eyes. Because we were able to achieve favorable outcomes without head positioning, we believe it may also be helpful in patients who are not suitable for positioning because of bodily or bony deformities and in retinal detachment with other coexisting trauma.