Influence of sclerotomy use on vitreous incarceration in an experimental model of vitrectomized eye

Javier Benitez-Herreros,¹ Lorenzo Lopez-Guajardo,^1,2 Cristina Camara-Gonzalez,¹ Aurora Perez-Crespo,¹ Agustin Silva-Mato,³ Miguel A Teus<sup>1,2

1</sup>Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, Madrid, Spain; ²Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Alcalá University, Madrid, Spain; ³Department of Health and Sociomedical Sciences, Alcalá University, Madrid, Spain

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of sclerotomy use during vitrectomy (vitreous cutter, illumination probe, or infusion-line entrance) on postoperative vitreous incarceration using an experimental model of vitrectomized eye.
Materials and methods: Experimental, randomized, and observer-masked study in which 23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy was performed in cadaveric pig eyes. Postoperative incisional vitreous entrapment was evaluated by direct visualization. No vitreous incarceration was classified as grade 0 (G0), thin vitreous entrapment was classified as grade 1 (G1), and thick vitreous strands as grade 2 (G2).
Results: A total of 46 eyes were included. Vitreous incarceration was detected in 91.3% (43.5% G1, 47.8% G2) of the sclerotomies used by the vitreous cutter probe, 95.7% (45.7% G1, 50% G2) of the illumination-pipe entrances, and 93.5% (45.7% G1, 47.8% G2) of the infusion-line incisions. No statistical differences were found when comparing incisional vitreous incarceration after vitrectomy according to sclerotomy use.
Conclusion: Different manipulation of the sclerotomies, depending on their use, does not seem to influence postvitrectomy vitreous entrapment in our experimental model.

Keywords: vitrectomy, vitreous incarceration, direct visualization, sclerotomy use, experimental model