Pneumatic retinopexy for retinal detachment associated with choroidal coloboma.

PURPOSE: To report a case of retinal detachment in an eye with choroidal coloboma treated with pneumatic retinopexy and laser.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 34-year-old woman who had had poor vision in her left eye since early childhood and high myopia in her right eye complained a sudden deterioration of vision in her left eye for 3 days. Fundus examination of the left eye showed a large choroidal coloboma, extending to the disc margin from 5-8 o'clock inferiorly and above the inferotemporal arcade, excluding the fovea and the parafovea. Superotemporal bullous detachment of the retina was also observed, including the macula. The patient underwent a pneumatic retinopexy with SF(6) gas (0.5 cc) injection into the vitreous cavity. The following day laser was applied around the margin of the choroidal coloboma. Three months later, visual acuity was 20/200 and fundus examination disclosed a completely attached retina.

CONCLUSIONS

This case demonstrates the feasibility of using pneumatic retinopexy in selected cases.