Wound leakage and hypotony after 25-gauge sutureless vitrectomy: factors affecting postoperative intraocular pressure

To investigate the factors related to postoperative hypotony after 25-gauge sutureless vitrectomy.

Of 109 consecutive eyes undergoing sutureless vitrectomy, 95 fluid-filled eyes were randomly assigned to three groups according to the order of infusion cannula removal. In group 1 (30 eyes), the infusion was removed first. In group 2 (32 eyes), the infusion was removed after another cannula. In group 3 (33 eyes), the infusion was removed last. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured on preoperative day 1 and postoperative days 1, 7, and 30.

Mean age was 58.9 +/- 11.6 years (range: 18 to 80 years). Among each factor (including order of infusion removal, age, sex, axial length, preoperative IOP, previous vitrectomy, indications for vitrectomy and lens status), only age was significantly correlated with IOP on postoperative day 1 (P = .019). In 13 eyes in which hypotony persisted through postoperative day 2 (IOP < or = 5 mm Hg), the age of the patients was significantly younger than those who did not experience persisting hypotony (P = .006).

Younger patients were more likely to experience early postoperative hypotony.