25-gauge PPV: safe and effective

25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of epiretinal membranes, according to a report published online ahead of print by Der Ophthalmologe.

Albrecht Lommatzsch and colleagues from St. Franziskus Hospital MÜnster, Germany investigated 625 eyes from 620 patients who were operated on using the 25-gauge technique between 2002 and 2006.

The epiretinal membranes were successfully removed in all patients and 329 eyes were analyzed with long-term follow-up over 3.1 years. The mean improvement in visual acuity (VA) before and after surgery was -09.41 in logMAR and normal intraocular pressure (IOP) was observed in all patients one week postoperatively. In nine patients with postoperative hypotony and choroidal detachment, an additional suture was required and seven patients developed a retinal detachment. No patients developed endophthalmitis during the follow-up period.

The 25-gauge PPV technique, according to the researchers, appears to be both safe and effective.