PRONE POSITION ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN SILICONE FILLED EYES

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of a new technique of prone position ultrasonography in eases with silicone filled eyes. Methods: Forty pa tients with prior pars plana vitrectomy and silicone oil instillation referred to a tertiary eye care centre were the subjects of this study A prospective clinical trial was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of prone position ultrasonography in addition to routinely performed s upine position ultrasonography in these patients, The technique was un dertaken by 2 independent observers and compared with the findings by indirect ophthalmoscopy or surgical results, Interobserver variability was also calculated. Results: Two spikes were observed in supine posi tion corresponding to the intravitreal silicone oil surface and the sc lera, whereas a single spike corresponding to the sclera was observed in prone position, Supine position ultrasonography yielded a diagnosti c accuracy of 61.8% which inreased to 96.7% when the procedure was sup plemented with prone position ultrasonography. Specificity increased f rom 75 to 100% by the addition of this adjuvant procedure, however wit h no significant difference in the interobserver variability ('K' = 0. 67 Vs 'K' = 0.62), Conclusion: Prone position ultrasonography is a use ful adjunct to the routinely performed supine position ultrasonography in silicone filled eyes and increases the diagnostic yield.