Prevention of Silicone Oil Migration and Baerveldt Tube Blockage in Retinal Detachment Surgery with Partial Aniridia

Background

Silicone oil (SO) is an effective intraocular tamponade used in treating complex retinal detachments. In aphakic eyes, the use of SO may lead to corneal decompensation and glaucoma if the oil remains in contact with the corneal endothelium and the trabecular meshwork [1], [2]. In aphakic eyes with an intact iris, an inferior peripheral iridectomy effectively prevents prolapse of SO into the anterior chamber, thereby preventing keratopathy and glaucoma. However, in aphakic eyes with iris loss SO was considered a relative contraindication because it usually enters the anterior chamber with a very high risk of the development corneal complications. The use of oil tamponades has also been eschewed traditionally in the presence of glaucoma drainage shunts because of the risk of silicone oil migration and obstruction of the shunts.

The purpose of our article is to describe a novel surgical technique which can prevent SO from migrating into the anterior chamber and thus occluding the draining shunts in aphakic and iniridic eyes.

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