EXTERNAL ARGON-LASER CHOROIDOTOMY FOR SUBRETINAL FLUID DRAINAGE

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of external argon laser c horoidotomy for drainage of subretinal fluid (SRF) during scleral buck ling procedures for the repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments. Methods: Fifty eyes of 50 consecutive patients presenting to a hospita l-based retinal outpatient clinic with rhegmatogenous detachments unde rwent choroidotomy with argon endolaser for SRF drainage. The laser pa rameters used were 0.5 s duration and 0.8 W power. The primary outcome measures were successful drainage of SRF and incidence of complicatio ns. The drainage was considered successful if it was sufficient to com plete the planned scleral buckling procedure. The extent of subretinal haemorrhage was graded. Results: The mean age of patients was 55 year s (range 16-80 years). Successful drainage of SRF was obtained in 47 e yes (94%). The complications observed at the drainage site included su bretinal haemorrhage of less than 1 disc diameter in six eyes (12%) an d retinal perforation in one eye (2%). Conclusion: External argon lase r choroidotomy appears to be an effective method of draining SRF in rh egmatogenous retinal detachments.