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Direct Ophthalmic Viscoelastic Device Plug Technique for Sclerotomy Closure in 25-Gauge Microincision Vitrectomy
Masaki Nakamura1,2, Akira Watanabe1, Yuki Yamada1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Background And Objective:
This study describes a direct ophthalmic viscoelastic device (OVD) plug technique for sclerotomy closure and compares it with conventional scleral massage in 25-gauge micro-incision vitrectomy surgery (MIVS).
Patients And Methods:
This retrospective comparative study included 79 eyes: 41 treated with the OVD-plug technique and 38 with scleral massage. The primary outcome was the proportion of eyes requiring suturing at one or both superior ports.
Results:
Suturing was required in 36.6% of eyes in the OVD-plug group and 57.9% in the scleral-massage group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = .073). In exploratory multivariable analysis, air/gas tamponade, but not treatment group, was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of suturing. Postoperative intraocular pressure and hypotony were similar between groups.
Conclusions:
The OVD-plug technique showed a numerically lower suturing rate, but its comparative effectiveness remains uncertain. Air/gas tamponade was associated with lower odds of suturing.
