Vitreoretinal Surgery Feature Story

MAY/JUNE 2008 I RETINA TODAY I 85 S utureless surgery is a relatively new modality for vitreoretinal surgeons. Wounds that accommodated traditional 20-gauge vitrectomy instrumentation required suture closure. With the introduction of 25-gauge instrumentation, vitreoretinal surgeons gained the ability to leave the smaller incisions unsutured after vitrectomy, reducing intraoperative trauma and potentially speeding postoperative visual recovery. However, many also found that at least the first generation of 25-gauge instrumentation was too flexible to allow some maneuvers. The introduction of 23-gauge vitrectomy instrumentation by Dutch Ophthalmic USA (Exeter, NH) and other manufacturers has facilitated the performance of vitrectomy with more rigid instrumentation but still provides the possibility of sutureless wound closure. I performed a single-center, retrospective study to assess the safety and efficacy of the Dutch Ophthalmic USA 23-gauge vitrectomy system as a treatment modality for a variety of vitreoretinal pathologies.