Full Thickness Macular Hole Closure after Exchanging Silicone-Oil Tamponade with C3F8 without Posturing

• Published in: Case reports in ophthalmology Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 166 - 169
• Main Authors: Xirou, Tina, Xirou, Vasiliki, Mangouritsas, George, Feretis, Elias, Kabanarou, Stamatina A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 13-05-2011; Karger Publishers
• Subjects: Idiopathic macular hole; Internal limiting membrane peeling; Long-acting gas; Published: May 2011; Silicone-oil tamponade; Vitrectomy; Internal limiting membrane peeling; Vitrectomy; Idiopathic macular hole; Long-acting gas; Silicone-oil tamponade
• ISSN: 1663-2699; 1663-2699
• DOI: 10.1159/000327695

Purpose: To report a case of macular hole closure after the exchange of a silicone-oil tamponade with gas C 3 F 8 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 C 3 F 8 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 (C 3 F 8 14%), even without posturing, proved to be more effective.