Patching Retinal Breaks With Seprafilm for Treating Retinal Detachments
By Marianne Doran and selected by Deepak P. Edward, MD
Journal Highlights
Eye
Published online Jan. 27, 2017
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Haruta et al. described the long-term surgical outcomes of 4 patients who were treated for retinal detachment with the novel technique of using Seprafilm Adhesion Barrier (Sanofi). This material is a bioresorbable translucent membrane that was developed to prevent adhesions after abdominal and pelvic surgeries. At 9 years postsurgery, the researchers found that the retina remained attached in all 4 patients.
The 4 patients (4 eyes) in this series had rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). The retinal breaks in these eyes were covered with Seprafilm, which was applied through a transvitreal approach after cataract surgery, pars plana vitrectomy, fluid-air exchange, and laser photocoagulation. Neither long-lasting gas nor silicone oil was used. The patients were not instructed to maintain a specific head position postoperatively.
The surgeons achieved successful retinal reattachment in all 4 eyes after a single procedure, and none of the patients developed proliferative vitreoretinopathy, a major cause of surgical failure. All eyes had a transient postoperative intraocular pressure spike, which was managed with medication and resolved within 2 weeks. The Seprafilm was undetectable on fundus examination 2 weeks after surgery. The mean best-corrected visual acuities among these patients were 20/97 preoperatively and 20/33 at 9 years after surgery. Further, the visual outcomes showed no apparent adverse effects related to the use of Seprafilm.
The authors concluded that covering retinal breaks with Seprafilm may promote retinal reattachment without the need for gas tamponade or postoperative head positioning. They commented that their work provides a basis for further clinical studies of retinal patching surgery in patients with RRDs.
The original article can be found here.