Intraoperative severe suprachoroidal air as a complication of 23-gauge vitrectomy combined with air–fluid exchange

Abstract

Chien-Jen Lin,1 Kai-Ling Peng2 1Department of Radiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan City, Taiwan; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan City, Taiwan Abstract: We reported a rare case of sudden onset of severe but reversible suprachoroidal air that occurred at the moment of air–fluid exchange in 23-gauge vitrectomy. A 31-year-old male patient presented with a large break at 10–11 o’clock and high bullous, nearly total retinal detachment. He underwent first surgery with silicon oil injection at the end of the surgery. He was arranged to have a second surgery for silicon oil removal through pars plana vitrectomy which was performed smoothly at first. While switching to another mode of air–fluid exchange to clean the residual emulsified oil droplets, surgical view disappeared completely and was suddenly replaced with severe and total suprachoroidal air, which fortunately resolved within 3 days without any other severe complications. Keywords: suprachoroidal air, choroid detachment, vitrectomy, air fluid exchange

Keywords

• suprachroidal air
• choroidal detachment (CD)
• vitrectomy
• air fluid exchange (AFX)