USE OF PERFLUBRON AS A NEW TEMPORARY VITREOUS SUBSTITUTE AND MANIPULATION AGENT FOR VITREORETINAL SURGERY

Purpose: The authors determine the intraocular tolerance of a new wide ly used liquid perfluorocarbon, perfluoroctylbromide (perflubron). Met hods: Pars plana vitrectomy was performed on 54 eyes of 54 patients wi th vitreoretinal disorders at three centers. Diagnoses included giant retinal tears, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and dislocated intraoc ular and crystalline lenses. At the conclusion of the vitrectomy, perf lubron was removed. Results: Perflubron was efficacious for vitreoreti nal manipulation. Of the 45 eyes with retinal detachment, 23 (51.1%) o f the retinas were reattached after a single surgery; redetachment occ urred in 22 (48.9%) after the initial procedure, and further surgery w as necessary to reattach the retina. Final retinal reattachment was ac hieved in 40 (88.9%) eyes. Mean visual acuity improvement was six line s (P < 0.0019). Visualization of the water/perfluorocarbon interface w as good. There was no evidence of adverse effects from perflubron on t he retina, lens, or anterior segment. Conclusion: Findings indicate th at perflubron is safe for temporary intraoperative use intravitreally. The absence of adverse effects is consistent with the properties of p erflubron that our group has studied in the eyes of animals and in oth er uses in human patients.