AIM: To analyze the effect of pneumatic retinopexy used in unsuccessful scleral buckling surgeries which failed because of missing holes, new breaks and so on.

METHODS: A case control study was done, 32 unsuccessful scleral buckling paients(32 eyes)in our hospital from 2010 to 2012, who match condition of pneumatic retinopexy were divided into two groups in random. The observation group were cured by pneumatic retinopexy, the control group were cured by vitrectomy combined with gas. The cure rate, corrected visual acuity, hospitalization costs and satisfaction rate were recorded to be contrasted.

RESULTS: The cure rate of both group were high, the observation group was 93.8%(15/16),the control group was 87.5%(14/16). The corrected visual acuity of the two groups respectively were 4.72±0.12, 4.75±0.14. They had no difference in statistic. But the observation group was far less than the control group in hospitalization costs, they were 4 543±126 yuan and 12 367±138 yuan respectively, and it got higher satisfaction rate than the control group, they were 93.8% and 62.5%. Both index had difference in statistic(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The pneumatic retinopexy used in unsuccessful scleral buckling surgeries can improve cure rate, satisfaction rate and it can bring down in hospitalization costs.