Drainage of subretinal fluidduring scleral buckling surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Background and objective. The purpose of the study is to compare the drainage of subretinal fluid (SRF) in a scleral pocket (SP) with incision parallel to the limbus to drainage through a simple radial scleral thinning (ST), during scleral buckling surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Patients and methods. Retrospective cohort study of one hundred sixty-nine consecutive buckling surgery for RRD, where a drainage puncture was performed through SP in eighty-five cases and through previous radial ST in eighty-four cases. Results. PT shows significant lower complication rate. The incidence of retinal incarceration or formation of a retinal hole at the first drainage site is lower in PT group (p=0.0285). During surgery choroidal detachment have been observed in a higher percentage of cases in the SP group (p=0.0379). At the end of the surgery a certain amount of SRF behind the buckling was significant in ST group (p=0.0026). Conclusion. The SP drainage technique appears to be a useful, effective and safe method to drain SRF.