Combined 25- and 23-gauge surgery: a new sutureless vitrectomy technique.
The 25- and 23-gauge sutureless vitrectomy techniques decrease the surgical trauma and improve patients' postoperative comfort. The disadvantages of the 25-gauge system include pliable instrument and slower gel removal. The 23-gauge system provides faster speed of vitrectomy and the instruments have stiffer shafts, but it requires a larger incision. To circumvent some of these limitations, a new sutureless transconjunctival vitrectomy technique that combines 23- and 25-gauge cannulas and instruments was studied. Fifty-three patients underwent vitreoretinal surgery using two 25-gauge ports for the infusion and light probe and one 23-gauge port for the vitreous cutter and various instruments. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were noted and no cases required conversion to another technique.
Hubschman
J P
JP
UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Gonzales
C R
CR
Bourla
D H
DH
Gupta
A
A
Schwartz
S D
SD
D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*