Silicon oil removal
Properties of silicon oil
 Polymer of siloxane (R2-SiO2)
 PDMS (most common)
 Hydrophobic, liquid and clear
 Silicone fluids, silicone rubber, depending on R2
 It is not an oil
Specific gravity
 0.97 (PDMS)
 Depends on R2
 Higher SG, better contact with retina
 Remains constant irrespective of viscosity
buoyancy
 Upward exerting force of fluid/gas
 Depends on difference of SG to aqueous
 Gas (SG 0.001) exerts far greater upward force than silicon oil (SG 0.97)
Surface tension
 It keeps an agent as a single bubble
 high interfacial tension has fewer tendencies to deform or disperse into
small bubbles
 less likely to pass through small openings, such as a retinal hole
 Gas or air 80
 Silicone oil 35
 Perfluorocarbon liquids 40–45
viscosity
 Resistance of fluid to deformity
 Shear stress
 Tensile stress
 A higher energy is needed to disperse a large and highly viscous fluid
bubble into small droplets (emulsification)
 Viscosity is expressed in centistokes
 Not affected by SG or surface tension
 Depends on length of polymer and MW
Removal of silicone oil
 Theoretically, chorioretinal adhesion would have formed certainly by 1 month
 6 weeks to 6 months
 However, in some eyes with very poor ultimate anatomical/visual prognosis, it may be
left in the eye
 Heavy oil no longer than 3 months
 The type of SO and its viscosity, lens status and whether or not additional procedures
are to be carried out, will influence the method used
procedure
 two port system : one for infusion and the other for SO aspiration
 Passive
 Active aspiration
 Manual
 keep the tip of the cannula within the oil globule as it reduces in size till
the end
 Unwated movements at the end leads to loss of hold over the small oil
bubble which becomes difficult to regain due to fluid turbulence
 Gentle depression of the ciliary body area will push any sequestered oil
bubbles into the vitreous cavity
procedure
 Maximum suction applied is limited
 the pressure driving the flow of oil out of the eye would be the atmospheric
pressure plus the infusion pressure
 Therefore, if passive aspiration were used, the aspirating pressure would be
the height of the infusion bottle
 If active aspiration was used, the vacuum driving the flow would be much
higher (760 mmHg + bottle height)
 Another important consideration is the length of the aspirating cannula
procedure
 Poiseuille’s Law
 flow is inversely and proportion to the length of the tubing
 To minimize this length, no tubing should be used
 The suction needs to be generated in a syringe connected directly to the
aspirating cannula
procedure
 In combined phacoemulsification and uncomplicated SOR, a primary
posterior capsulotomy is made
 Infusion is provided via an anterior chamber maintainer
 In aphakic eyes with SO in the anterior chamber, a corneal wound can be
used to allow passive drainage of oil
 fundus should be evaluated at the end of the procedure
Implications of SOR
 potential risk of retinal redetachment
 higher in eyes with PVR or in with high-risk of developing PVR
 Most redetachments occur within 6 months after SO removal
 previous unsuccessful surgeries and longer axial lengths are associated
with higher failure rates
 Prophylactic 360° laser or the use of encircling band may reduce the rate
of redetachment
Implications of SOR
 Difficult to ensure the eye is free of emulsified oil at the end
 Patients may complain of floaters due to residual oil droplets
 air-fluid exchange at the end of oil removal to remove residual droplets can be
tried
 Where fluid-air exchange is done, multiple repetitions are preferable
 The flute needle is kept at the air-fluid meniscus where oil comes to float and can
be seen and removed
 Anterior chamber emulsified oil should be washed thoroughly, with attention to
the angles

Silicon oil removal

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Properties of siliconoil  Polymer of siloxane (R2-SiO2)  PDMS (most common)  Hydrophobic, liquid and clear  Silicone fluids, silicone rubber, depending on R2  It is not an oil
  • 3.
    Specific gravity  0.97(PDMS)  Depends on R2  Higher SG, better contact with retina  Remains constant irrespective of viscosity
  • 4.
    buoyancy  Upward exertingforce of fluid/gas  Depends on difference of SG to aqueous  Gas (SG 0.001) exerts far greater upward force than silicon oil (SG 0.97)
  • 5.
    Surface tension  Itkeeps an agent as a single bubble  high interfacial tension has fewer tendencies to deform or disperse into small bubbles  less likely to pass through small openings, such as a retinal hole  Gas or air 80  Silicone oil 35  Perfluorocarbon liquids 40–45
  • 6.
    viscosity  Resistance offluid to deformity  Shear stress  Tensile stress  A higher energy is needed to disperse a large and highly viscous fluid bubble into small droplets (emulsification)  Viscosity is expressed in centistokes  Not affected by SG or surface tension  Depends on length of polymer and MW
  • 7.
    Removal of siliconeoil  Theoretically, chorioretinal adhesion would have formed certainly by 1 month  6 weeks to 6 months  However, in some eyes with very poor ultimate anatomical/visual prognosis, it may be left in the eye  Heavy oil no longer than 3 months  The type of SO and its viscosity, lens status and whether or not additional procedures are to be carried out, will influence the method used
  • 8.
    procedure  two portsystem : one for infusion and the other for SO aspiration  Passive  Active aspiration  Manual  keep the tip of the cannula within the oil globule as it reduces in size till the end  Unwated movements at the end leads to loss of hold over the small oil bubble which becomes difficult to regain due to fluid turbulence  Gentle depression of the ciliary body area will push any sequestered oil bubbles into the vitreous cavity
  • 10.
    procedure  Maximum suctionapplied is limited  the pressure driving the flow of oil out of the eye would be the atmospheric pressure plus the infusion pressure  Therefore, if passive aspiration were used, the aspirating pressure would be the height of the infusion bottle  If active aspiration was used, the vacuum driving the flow would be much higher (760 mmHg + bottle height)  Another important consideration is the length of the aspirating cannula
  • 11.
    procedure  Poiseuille’s Law flow is inversely and proportion to the length of the tubing  To minimize this length, no tubing should be used  The suction needs to be generated in a syringe connected directly to the aspirating cannula
  • 12.
    procedure  In combinedphacoemulsification and uncomplicated SOR, a primary posterior capsulotomy is made  Infusion is provided via an anterior chamber maintainer  In aphakic eyes with SO in the anterior chamber, a corneal wound can be used to allow passive drainage of oil  fundus should be evaluated at the end of the procedure
  • 13.
    Implications of SOR potential risk of retinal redetachment  higher in eyes with PVR or in with high-risk of developing PVR  Most redetachments occur within 6 months after SO removal  previous unsuccessful surgeries and longer axial lengths are associated with higher failure rates  Prophylactic 360° laser or the use of encircling band may reduce the rate of redetachment
  • 14.
    Implications of SOR Difficult to ensure the eye is free of emulsified oil at the end  Patients may complain of floaters due to residual oil droplets  air-fluid exchange at the end of oil removal to remove residual droplets can be tried  Where fluid-air exchange is done, multiple repetitions are preferable  The flute needle is kept at the air-fluid meniscus where oil comes to float and can be seen and removed  Anterior chamber emulsified oil should be washed thoroughly, with attention to the angles