Pre-placed versus Post-placed Corneo-scleral Sutures in Cataract Surgery.

THE closure and healing of the wound in cataract surgery is a most important factor in the success of the operation, and various suturing techniques have been evolved. The present communication attempts to evaluate the results in 668 cases operated on from January to November, 1961. The same pre-operative preparation, operative technique, and post-operative treatment were used, and the same thread (16 x 0 black silkt) was used for the corneo-scleral sutures, which were applied under a limbal-based conjunctival flap. These 668 cases may be divided into two groups, according to the placing of the sutures. In 313 cases three post-placed corneo-scleral sutures were used, and in the other 355 cases the three corneo-scleral sutures were pre-placed in a gutter formed at the limbus. Operative Steps Group I.-A limbal-based conjunctival flap was made, an ab externo limbal incision being made at 12 o'clock with a razor blade held in the tip of a needle-holder (Fig. 1). The limbal incision was enlarged with corneal scissors, and three postplaced corneo-scleral sutures were applied at 11, 12, and 1 o'clock before the delivery of the lens (Fig. 2).