Incidence of postoperative hypotony in 25-gauge vitrectomy: oblique versus straight sclerotomies.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the incidence of hypotony after oblique and straight sclerotomies in 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy (TSV).

DESIGN

Retrospective, comparative, interventional case series.

PARTICIPANTS

Two hundred seventy-five eyes of 250 patients.

METHODS

We reviewed 275 consecutive cases of 25-gauge TSV. Oblique incisions were performed on 141 eyes and straight incisions on 134 eyes.

RESULTS

On postoperative day 1, there was no significant difference in the incidence of hypotony (9.9% vs. 9.2%; p = 0.85) between oblique and straight incisions. The type of incision showed no statistical effect on hypotony in eyes filled with fluid (p = 0.91) or air-gas (p = 0.81). Hypotony was significantly reduced using air-gas endotamponade (4.8%) as compared to fluid-filled eyes (20.0%; p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Oblique incisions do not reduce the incidence of postoperative hypotony in fluid-filled eyes or with air-gas tamponade. Air-gas tamponade use results in a 4-fold reduction in the incidence of hypotony.