Temperature control during pars plana vitrectomy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Surgery
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) is a common ophthalmic surgical procedure.
• Maintaining optimal intraocular conditions during PPV is crucial for patient outcomes.
• The impact of intraoperative temperature on retinal tissue during PPV requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of temperature-controlled pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) on structural and functional outcomes.
• To compare temperature-controlled PPV with conventional PPV in a rabbit eye model.
• To assess the potential benefits of intraoperative temperature management in vitreoretinal surgery.

Main Methods:

• Ten New Zealand White rabbits underwent temperature-controlled PPV in one eye and conventional PPV in the contralateral eye.
• Ophthalmic examinations and electroretinography (ERG) were performed preoperatively and 1 week postoperatively.
• Histological and immunohistochemical analyses, including GFAP and vimentin expression, were conducted on enucleated eyes.

Main Results:

• Temperature-controlled PPV eyes showed significantly better functional outcomes, with preserved a-wave amplitude and latency compared to conventional PPV.
• Oscillatory potential (OP) amplitude increased in temperature-controlled PPV eyes and decreased in conventional PPV eyes.
• Fewer structural retinal alterations were observed in the temperature-controlled PPV group, with higher GFAP expression in the conventional PPV group.

Conclusions:

• Temperature-controlled PPV demonstrated superior functional and structural outcomes compared to conventional PPV in a rabbit model.
• Intraoperative management of intraocular temperature appears to play a beneficial role in vitreoretinal surgery.
• These findings support the adoption of temperature-controlled techniques to improve surgical results in ophthalmology.