Background The emulsification of silicone oil is a significant concern for those with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) following surgery. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of emulsification in the patients who underwent primary vitrectomy and were administered 5000 cs silicone oil. Methodology The Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust in Lahore conducted an ophthalmology study from January 2022 to March 2023. The patients who had primary vitrectomy for RRD with silicone oil tamponade were included regardless of age or gender. Those on anti-inflammatory or steroid medications prior to surgery were excluded. Retinal attachment was examined 8-12 weeks post operation to assess silicone oil removal eligibility. Emulsification occurrence was reported. Data on emulsification time, visual acuity (pre- and post-removal), mean intraocular pressure (IOP), and clinical outcomes were collected and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY). The results were graphically presented with mean, standard deviations, frequencies, and proportions. Results A total of 158 patients underwent silicone oil removal after undergoing primary vitrectomy for RRD with silicone oil. The mean age of the patients was 45.90 ± 17.8 years. The mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) among the patients was 16.28 ± 2.97 mmHg. Post removal of silicone oil, the IOP was reduced to 12.66 ± 3.02 mmHg. In 11 out of 158 cases (6.9%) of RRD, emulsification had occurred with silicone oil 5000 cs. We found that out of 11 cases of emulsification, eight (72.73%) were 40 years or older in age. Seven (63.64%) patients had tamponade duration of 10 weeks or longer. However, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion In conclusion, our study found that the incidence of emulsification of 5000 cs silicone oil in the patients who underwent primary vitrectomy for the treatment of RRD was 6.9%. We observed that emulsification was more frequent in patients aged 40 years or older and those with a tamponade duration of 10 weeks or longer, although the difference was not statistically significant. Further investigation with bigger sample sizes and extended follow-up periods is required to verify our findings and explore potential factors that could lead to emulsification in this group of patients.
Keywords: emulsification; ophthalmology; retinal detachment (rd); retinal detachment surgery; silicone oil removal.
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