Long-term hypotony because of accidental break of a 23 g microcannula after transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of long-lasting hypotony because of accidental break, with scleral tunnel entrapment, of a 23-gauge microcannula during transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy.


METHODS
Interventional case report. An 80-year-old Spanish woman who underwent 23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy presented at the postoperative ocular examination with irreversible, refractory low intraocular pressure of unknown cause. Two weeks after surgery, a piece of the microcannula was found at the inferotemporal sclerotomy site during a scheduled medical appointment. Surgical intervention was indicated to explore and remove the foreign body.


RESULTS
The day after foreign body extraction, the patient's pressure rose to normal levels. However, her visual acuity did not improve until 3 weeks later.


CONCLUSIONS
Transient postoperative hypotony is unsurprising after 23-gauge vitrectomy because of leakage of small-diameter open sclerotomies. However, when long-term low intraocular pressure fails to return to normal levels because of an unidentified condition, breaking of the microcannula piece with scleral tunnel entrapment may be contemplated.
Vitreoretinal Department, Centro Privado de Ojos Romagosa-Fundación VER, Córdoba, Argentina.
Ana L
AL
Gramajo
Mariano
M
Meyer
Claudio P
CP
Juárez
José D
JD
Luna
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D057785:Catheters; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015814:Ocular Hypotension / Q000209:etiology*; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*