Surgical outcomes of 23- and 20-gauge vitrectomies for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment associated with posterior vitreous detachment.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

To compare the outcomes of 23- and 20-gauge vitrectomies 1 year after primary repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs) associated with a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

One hundred seventy-five consecutive eyes were reviewed that had undergone 23- or 20-gauge vitrectomy for RRDs associated with PVD.

RESULTS

Retinal reattachment during the year after the first vitrectomy occurred in 88 (91%) of 97 eyes in the 23-gauge group and 70 (90%) of 78 eyes in the 20-gauge group. All eyes in both groups achieved anatomic success after another procedure. The surgical time in the 23-gauge group was significantly (P = .03) shorter than in the 20-gauge group. No significant difference was found between the preoperative and postoperative visual acuities in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Twenty-three-gauge vitrectomy can obtain anatomic and visual acuity results similar to those obtained with 20-gauge vitrectomy after primary repair of RRDs and may be a surgical option for treating the disorder.