Adjunctive use of a novel releasable suture technique in transconjunctival vitrectomy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the merits of a transconjunctival vitrectomy with the releasable suture technique in a large series of 20-gauge, 23-gauge, and hybrid trocar vitrectomy and to assess its effectiveness in minimizing the occurrence of incompetent wound closures.


METHODS
One hundred and one patients, with a variety of vitreoretinal disorders, and totaling 125 eyes, were enrolled. Each entry site wound was closed, with the releasable suture technique using 8-0 nylon. Postoperatively, sutures were released under a slit lamp at the office a mean 22.9 hours after surgery. In addition to the usual intraoperative and postoperative identification of complications, preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressures were monitored.


RESULTS
The full results from all 337 sclerotomies (206, 20 gauge; and 131, 23 gauge) were assessed. It was observed that there were no significant differences between preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure measurements (P > 0.05); no eyes required fluid or gas supplements, there was no significant wound leakage or hypotony; and no significant complications occurred, such as endophthalmitis or choroidal detachment.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that transconjunctival vitrectomy with releasable sutures, including those conducted with larger instrument trocar systems, offer patients excellent chances for a favorable outcome without incidences of postoperative wound leakage or hypotony.
Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
Yumi
Y
Song
Yong Woon
YW
Shin
Byung Ro
BR
Lee
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015814:Ocular Hypotension / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D012599:Sclerostomy; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult