[Problems and complications of the wound closure in cataract operations (author's transl)]

A presentation is given of some complications resulting from wound closure technique following cataract extraction, without postoperative loss of the anterior chamber. Group 1: In 3 cases a filtering bleb developed within the first 10 days postoperatively, due to faulty suture technique. Wound revision was not necessary. Group 2: In 6 cases wound dehiscence only developed after 3 weeks or longer. In 5 of these cases the fistula, and the subsequent dehiscence, occured at the site of a Barraquer silk suture; which appeared to be at least partially responsible for the complication. 2 of these 5 cases required resuturing, the remaining 3 slowly improved spontaneously. In the 6th case, which also required surgical intervention, the fistula was not situated near a suture. Due to the problems encountered with Barraquer silk sutures the same 3 step cataract incision previously employed was closed instead with interrupted Tübinger nylon sutures, the knots being buried whenever possible. The results were analysed in 81 eyes operated upon with this technique. Postoperative astigmatism lay within normal limits. In one case a filtering bleb developed at the site of a suture. Tübinger nylon sutures are now preferred to Barraquer silk sutures due to the better results obtained so far.