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Sutureless vitrectomy wounds close quickly in gas-filled eyes

Retina. 2011;31(4):702-706.

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Gas tamponade may be efficacious in closing sutureless vitrectomy wounds, as demonstrated by a study using three-dimensional corneal and anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

The prospective study included 24 eyes that underwent vitrectomy using a 25-gauge trocar microvitrectomy system (Alcon). Seventy-two wounds were successfully observed using OCT. Closure was defined as the absence of a scleral gap at the sclerotomy site.

Fourteen fluid-filled eyes and 10 gas-filled eyes were compared. The rates of wound closure were 26.2%, 28.6%, 35.7%, 52.4% and 85.7% for fluid-filled eyes at 3 hours and 1, 3, 7 and 14 days postop, respectively. Rates in gas-filled eyes were significantly higher at 53.3%, 73.3%, 76.7%, 83.3% and 93.3% for the same time intervals.

On postop day 1, IOP was significantly higher in the gas-filled eyes; however, the two groups did not differ on postop day 3 and beyond.

Faster wound closure for gas-filled eyes may be due to the readhesion force produced by surface tension, according to the study authors. This tension may minimize the total gas-fluid interface and act on the site of the sclerotomy, accelerating wound apposition.