Clinical Consequences of the Use of Highly Purified Silicone Oil: Comparative study of highly and less purified silicone oil
Purpose To compare the ocular toxicity caused by the use of highly purified silicone oil to less purified silicone oil in humans. Methods Fifty-six eyes received 2,000 centistokes (cs) purified silicone oil (group 1) and 42 eyes received 2,000 cs fractionated (highly purified) silicone oil (group 2) after pars plana vitrectormy. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 48 months. Results Six months after injection, the following complications were found in groups 1 and 2, respectively: ocular hypotension (<13mmHg), 39.3% and 31%, sustained ocular hypertension (>23mmHg), 19.6% and 19%; acute hypertensive peaks (>30mmHg), 23.2% and 11.9%; corneal alterations, 19.6% and 14.3%; emulsification, 1.8% and 2.4%; silicone oil cloudiness, 28.6% and 0%; preretinal reproliferation, 14.3% and 4.8% and total or partial retinal reattachment, 78.6% and 90.5%. Conclusions Highly purified silicone oil was better tolerated than the less purified oil and caused fewer complications. Poorly purified silicone oils should be avoided in clinical practice.