Short-term outcomes of 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To report the initial experience and safety profile of 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in eyes undergoing vitreoretinal surgery.


METHODS
Retrospective, multicenter, consecutive, interventional case series.


METHODS
The inclusion criteria for this study included eyes that underwent primary, 23-gauge PPV for various indications including, but not limited to, epiretinal membrane, nonclearing vitreous hemorrhage, idiopathic macular hole, and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD), and postoperative follow-up of at least 12 weeks. Exclusion criteria included history of prior vitrectomy, glaucoma filtration surgery, or administration of gas at expansile concentrations. Main outcome measures included best-corrected Snellen visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications.


RESULTS
Ninety-two patients met the inclusion criteria. The overall VA improved from 20/238 (range, 20/25 to hand motions [HM]) preoperatively to 20/82 (range, 20/20 to HM) postoperatively (P < .001). Each surgical indication experienced a statistically significant VA improvement. Intraoperative complications included retinal tears observed in two eyes (2.2%). Sclerotomy sutures were required intraoperatively in two eyes (2.2%). Postoperative complications included postoperative day 1 hypotony in six eyes (6.5%), a retinal tear in one eye (1.1%), and a recurrent RD in one eye (1.1%). No cases of endophthalmitis were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Intraoperative and postoperative complications were rare in this series of 23-gauge vitrectomy. Postoperative day 1 hypotony was the most common complication observed. All cases of postoperative hypotony resolved at postoperative week 1 without intervention. Retinal tear or detachment was an uncommon complication in the intraoperative and postoperative settings. Postoperative endophthalmitis was not noted in this case series.
Gupta
Omesh P
OP
Retina Service, Wills Eye Institute, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Ho
Allen C
AC
Kaiser
Peter K
PK
Regillo
Carl D
CD
Chen
Sanford
S
Dyer
David S
DS
Dugel
Pravin U
PU
Gupta
Sunil
S
Pollack
John S
JS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000601:surgery*; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery*