title: TRANSCONJUNCTIVAL NONVITRECTOMIZING VITREOUS SURGERY VERSUS 25-GAUGE VITRECTOMY IN PATIENTS WITH EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE: A Prospective Randomized Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the clinical outcomes and the rate of complications of 27-gauge transconjunctival nonvitrectomizing vitreous surgery (NVS) and of 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy surgery for idiopathic epiretinal membrane removal.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective randomized study, 83 phakic eyes of 83 consecutive patients with an idiopathic epiretinal membrane were randomized to receive 27-gauge NVS (NVS-group) or 25-gauge vitrectomy (Standard-group). Main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, central retinal thickness, nuclear density units' changes, and rate of complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine eyes of the Standard-group and 40 of the NVS-group were considered in final analysis. Mean best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly in both groups, with a significant better result at 12 months in NVS-group (P = 0.039; t-test). Central retinal thickness decreased significantly in both groups (P < 0.001, Tukey test), without significant difference between the two groups at any time point. At 12 months, nuclear density increased significantly in the Standard-group (analysis of variance, P < 0.001), and it did not change in the NVS-group (analysis of variance, P = 0.537). Epiretinal membrane recurred in 5.1% of eyes in the Standard-group and in 7.5% of eyes in the NVS-group (Fisher's exact test, P = 1.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 27-gauge NVS is an effective surgical procedure in eyes with epiretinal membrane and it induces less progression of nuclear sclerosis than 25-gauge vitrectomy.
authors.affiliation: *Eye Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; and †Eye Clinic, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I-GM Lancisi-G Salesi di Ancona, University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reibaldi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Teresio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Avitabile
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bonfiglio
authors.forename: Mario D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Viti
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nicolai
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saitta
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariotti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000601:surgery; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000601:surgery*