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.
UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
J P
JP
Hubschman
C R
CR
Gonzales
D H
DH
Bourla
A
A
Gupta
S D
SD
Schwartz
D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*