Sutureless vitreoretinal surgery using a new 25-gauge transconjunctival system.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of vitreoretinal surgery using a new 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy system.


METHODS
Forty-one eyes of 41 consecutive patients were treated from July 2003 to October 2003. Diagnoses included diabetic vitreous hemorrhage (n = 19), diabetic tractional retinal detachment (n = 4), diabetic macular edema (n = 2), macular hole (n = 3), epiretinal membrane (n = 2), branch retinal vein occlusion (n = 3), central retinal vein occlusion (n = 1), vitreous opacity (n = 4), retinal detachment (n = 1), capsular block syndrome (n = 1), and submacular hemorrhage (n = 1). The procedure was combined with phacoemulsification in 14 eyes.


RESULTS
All except 3 patients were operated on under retrobulbar anesthesia only. Four cases required the superior sclerotomy to be converted to a 20-gauge procedure. The mean operation time was 33 minutes and the mean balanced salt solution used was 59 cc. The mean visual acuity improved rapidly during 3 to 4 weeks following 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy from 20/275 to 20/125, and then to 20/100 during the subsequent 5 months. Transient hypotony occurred in only 1 eye. Neither wound leakage nor infection was identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite some limitations in surgical indications, 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy appeared to increase the efficiency of vitrectomy and to facilitate postoperative visual recovery in various vitreoretinal diseases.
Yoon
Young H
YH
Department of Ophthalmology Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Deok-Soo
DS
Kim
June-Gone
JG
Hwang
Jong-uk
JU
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000601:surgery*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*