Ultrasound biomicroscopy of conventional and sutureless pars plana sclerotomies: a comparative and longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
To report the rate of ultrasonically visible vitreous incarceration and longitudinal changes of incarcerated vitreous in pars plana sclerotomies after conventional suturing or sutureless technique using ultrasound biomicroscopy.


METHODS
Twenty-five consecutive eyes (25 patients) undergoing primary three-port pars plana vitrectomy participated. The first 16 pars plana vitrectomies were performed with standard conventional sutured sclerotomies, and the following nine pars plana vitrectomies were performed with modified sutureless sclerotomies. Patient demographics, diagnoses, procedures, and complications were recorded. Each patient had ultrasound biomicroscopy performed 1 week before surgery, and also after surgery at 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months. Visible vitreous incarceration was graded as 0 to 3.


RESULTS
Vitreous incarceration was seen in 41 of 48 sclerotomies (85.4%) in the conventionally sutured group, and in 23 of 27 sclerotomies (85.2%) in the sutureless group, with no significant difference in severity among sclerotomies within each group and between the two groups. There was a significant difference in the rate of vitreous incarceration between diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy and others (P =.002). No progressive change of visible vitreous incarceration was noted in any eye during the 6-month postoperative period. No sclerotomy-related complications occurred during the study period.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed no difference in the amount of visible vitreous incarceration in conventionally sutured or sutureless sclerotomies. There was no visible longitudinal change in the incarcerated vitreous during the 6 months of follow-up in uncomplicated cases.
Kwok
A K
AK
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, the People's Republic of China. kwokkh@ha.org.hk
Tham
C C
CC
Loo
A V
AV
Fan
D S
DS
Lam
D S
DS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D012590:Sclera / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012599:Sclerostomy / Q000379:methods*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014821:Vitrectomy