[Experience with 25-gauge transconjunctival vitrectomy compared to a 20-gauge system. Analysis of 132 cases]

The transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy (TSV 25) is a new technique showing substantial progress.

A prospective study of 66 eyes of 66 patients who underwent surgical procedures using the transconjunctival standard vitrectomy system (TSV 25), between June 2004 and June 2005. The results were compared with the results in an equivalent population (66 patients) that underwent vitrectomy with a standard 20-gauge system.

The most important differences between groups were 1) shorter surgical time in the 25-gauge vitrectomy group than in the 20-gauge group, with a mean time of 28.15+/-5.50 min for group 1 and 44.15+/-5.64 min for group 2 (p<0.001) and 2) lower mean postoperative intraocular tension in the first group of patients: in this group, the intraocular tension before surgery was a mean of 16.27+/-1.76 mmHg, decreasing to 12.17+/-1.36 mmHg, with a posterior increase to normal values of 15.06+/-1.66 mmHg at 7 days after surgery and a mean of 16.10+/-1.51 mmHg at 15 days. This decrease was not observed in the group of patients who underwent 20-gauge vitrectomy surgery. The other postoperative complications were similar in both groups except for four cases of anterior proliferation and two cases of fibrinous uveitis in group 2.

The transconjunctival sutureless system (TSV 25) decreases surgical time and postoperative inflammation, with optimal postoperative patient comfort, but currently the accurate selection of patients remains important.