J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2003 Dec;44(12):2811-2815.

Pneumatic Displacement of Submacular Hemorrhage with Intravitreal Injection of SF6 Gas without Tissue Plasminogen Activator

• Ahn YS
• Lee SJ
• Park S

Abstract

PURPOSE
To assess the efficacy and safety of intravitreal injection of SF6 gas for the displacement of submacular hemorrhage without use of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) METHODS: Three hundred microliter of pure SF6 gas 0.3 ml was injected into the vitreous cavity in 9 eyes with submacular hemorrhage involving the fovea because of myopic degeneration (3 eyes), trauma (3 eyes), age-related macular degeneration (2 eyes), macroaneurysm (1 eyes), branch retinal vein occlusion (1 eyes) and myopic degeneration (2 eyes) within 4 weeks after the onset of symptoms. The patients were instructed to maintain a prone position for less than 7 days. RESULTS: Initial visual acuity was ranged from hand motion to 0.2 and visual improvement was found in 7 eyes on the 7th day after the gas injection. On the 7th day after the gas injection, submacular hemorrhage was completely displaced in 2 eyes and slightly displaced with a reduction in the thickness of hemorrhage in 2 eyes. Transient elevation of intraocular pressure occured in 1 eye and was successfully controlled with medications. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal SF6 gas injection is simple and can displace submacular hemorrhage without use of tissue plasminogen activator in many cases with no serious complications.

Keyword

Pneumatic displacement; Submacular hemorrhage; tPA

MeSH Terms

Hand
Hemorrhage*
Humans
Intraocular Pressure
Intravitreal Injections*
Macular Degeneration
Prone Position
Retinal Vein Occlusion
Tissue Plasminogen Activator*
Visual Acuity
Tissue Plasminogen Activator