Outcomes of transconjunctival sutureless 27-gauge vitrectomy with silicone oil infusion.

Purpose: To demonstrate the safety and efficacy of 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in selected patients with vitreoretinal diseases requiring silicone oil (SO) tamponade.

Methods: Retrospective review of a consecutive interventional case series at a single center.

Results: Twenty-one eyes of 19 patients were included in the study. The indications for PPV and SO tamponade were as follows: fibrovascular tractional retinal detachment (12 eyes), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (three eyes), primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (two eyes), macular hole (two eyes), vitreous hemorrhage (one eye), and endophthalmitis (one eye). All eyes underwent transconjunctival sutureless 27-gauge PPV with either 1000-cS (16 eyes) or 5000-cS (five eyes) SO tamponade. No intraoperative complications occurred. Mean preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/300 (range, light perception to 20/40; median, counting fingers). Mean postoperative BCVA was 20/160 (range, no light perception to 20/25; median 20/300; p = 0.022). Follow-up was 6.4 ± 8.8 months (range, 1-38 months; median, 4 months). No complications relating to 27-gauge placement of SO were observed.

Conclusions: Results show that 27-gauge PPV with SO injection appears safe, is efficient, and may be considered for the surgical management of vitreoretinal diseases requiring SO tamponade.