Between 1982 and 1984, the temporary balloon buckle, as described by Lincoff and Kreissig in 1978, was successfully used in 52 eyes. The indications were
retinal detachments with only one break or with closely grouped breaks together not exceeding one clock hour of the fundus. No consideration was given to the duration and extent of
retinal detachment and macular involvement, or to the degree of
myopia and recent
vitreous hemorrhage. Excluded were cases with incipient
proliferative vitreoretinopathy. The operation was successful in 50 of the 52 eyes. It was unsuccessful in one eye, in which, despite several subsequent conventional interventions,
proliferative vitreoretinopathy developed, and in a second eye, in which a circumscribed
retinal elevation around a large
flap tear persists. In 17% of cases (9 of 52 eyes) fresh
retinal defects were discovered 1 week to 6 months postoperatively. All were successfully treated with
laser therapy. As a result, we consider temporary balloon buckling a simple and curative technique for a selected group of patients presenting
retinal detachments.