Purpose: Hydrogel is a biocompatible osmotic expansile material used in contact lenses, scleral buckles, and orbital expanders. Three unique complications from hydrogel scleral buckle use are presented: orbital cellulitis mimicry, fornical shortening with orbital prosthetic intolerance, and orbital pseudotumor.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on three subjects with unknown hydrogel scleral buckle complications at a tertiary care oculoplastics practice. Demographics, imaging studies, and pathologic specimens were reviewed.
Results: All three patients had a history of encircling hydrogel scleral buckle placed for retinal detachment. The mean time from implantation to presentation was 10.7 years (range, 7 to 15 years). One patient had an onset of presumed orbital cellulitis caused by an enlarged buckle and no abscess. The second patient had inability to wear an evisceration prosthesis as the result of a shortened fornix from an enlarged hydrogel scleral buckle implant. The third patient presented with an orbital mass caused by the enlarged implant. In all cases, surgical removal of the expanded buckle relieved the patient's symptoms.
Conclusions: Although the hydrogel scleral band is designed to expand in a controlled fashion, overexpansion can occur. Expansion can cause buckle extrusion, prosthetic intolerance, a pseudo-orbital cellulitis, or orbital pseudotumor and may be due to a chemical change in the hydrogel polymer. Patients with hydrogel scleral buckles should be followed long-term for possible complications. Patients with newer uses of hydrogel, such as orbital expanders, should also be observed for long-term complications.