[A safety suture for sclerotomy in vitrectomy (author's transl)]

A safety suture with twisted 6-0 silk material for immediate closure of a sclerotomy wound after pars plana vitrectomy is described. The needle is first carried about 5 mm intrasclerally toward the edge of the sclerotomy and, after an oblique pass across the scleral incision, another intrascleral passage of 5 mm follows on the opposite side (Fig. 1). Bimanual stretching of the safety suture (Fig. 2) by the assistant provides a watertight adaptation of the sclerotomy and facilitates the placing of about four 10-0 interrupted nylon sutures without loss of intraocular pressure. After closing the sclerotomy, the safety suture is cut close to the sclera, and the remaining end of the suture is gently pulled out of the sclera.