BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of vitreoretinal surgery using a new 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one eyes of 41 consecutive patients were treated from July 2003 to October 2003. Diagnoses included diabetic vitreous hemorrhage (n=19),diabetic tractional retinal detachment (n=4),diabetic macular edema (n=2),macular hole (n=3),epiretinal membrane (n=2),branch retinal vein occlusion (n= 3),central retinal vein occlusion (n=1),vitreous opacity (n=4),retinal detachment (n=1),capsular block syndrome (n=1),and submacular hemorrhage (n=1). The procedure was combined with phacoemulsification in 14 eyes. RESULTS: All except 3 patients were operated on under retrobulbar anesthesia only. Four cases required the superior sclerotomy to be converted to a 20-gauge procedure. The mean operation time was 33 minutes and the mean balanced salt solution used was 59 cc. The mean visual acuity improved rapidly during 3 to 4 weeks following 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy from 20/275 to 20/125,and then to 20/100 during the subsequent 5 months. Transient hypotony occurred in only 1 eye. Neither wound leakage nor infection was identified. CONCLUSION: Despite some limitations in surgical indications,25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy appeared to increase the efficiency of vitrectomy and to facilitate postoperative visual recovery in various vitreoretinal diseases.
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