[Clinical experience in using a metallic suture in eye microsurgery]

The use of a metallic suture in eye microsurgery is described in the paper. The metallic suture made from a 0.05-0.05 mm vanadic stainless steel wire (corresponding to 8:0) was applied in 1202 cataract extractions, penetrating injuries, antiglaucomatous surgeries and in removal of pterygium at the medical-and-sanitary facility of steel works in the town of Bokaro (India). The observation period ranged, on the average, from 3 months to 3 years. There were no complications during the procedure of applying the suture. However, it caused a minor response in the ocular tissues during the early postoperative period. Small bullae were observed in the corneal surface near the suture in 7 cases (0.58%), which disappeared spontaneously in 3-4 days. Irritations inflicted by the suture ends were registered in 2.58% of cases (31 patients). The mean postoperative astigmatism was, 3 months after surgery, 1.65 diopters. The sutures were removed in 132 cases (10.98%), including in 16 patients with irritation, and in 116 patients for the purpose of correcting a high astigmatism. The share of patients with a visual acuity of 0.5 and higher was, in one week, 43.59% and went up, one month later, to 78.20%. The suture was well tolerated by patients, it was quickly covered by the corneal epithelium, there was no rejection and it can be easily manufactured. The suture is sterilized by routine techniques without need for any extra treatment before use; it is a reactive, biologically inactive, efficient, convenient and causes minimal operative and postoperative complications.