Abstract
Purpose: :
Although a small incision trans-conjunctival vitrectomy has been performed broadly all over the world, there has been no clear biological evidence to support its low invasiveness. Thus, the present study was performed to evaluate the tear cytokines in 20 gauge and 23 gauge vitrectomy.
Methods: :
Interventional experimental study. The tear samples were collected with micro capillary before surgery, 3 days and 7 days after surgery. The amount of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)- in the tear samples was assayed using a cytometric bead array. Patients were divided into 20 gauge group and 23 gauge group.
Results: :
Both groups involved six eyes of six patients. Although the cytokine levels in both groups before the operation were not different, the concentration of IL-8, which is an inflammatory cytokine, was significantly lower in 23 gauge group than in 20 gauge group on day 3 after operation (5236.0 pg/ml in 20 gauge group vs 2618.8 pg/ml in 23 gauge group, P= 0.02). Although IL-6 on day 3 and IL-1β on day 7 were found to have a tendency to be lower in 23G group, the difference did not reach significance (IL-6; 1236.6 pg/ml in 20 gauge group vs 768.4 pg/ml in 23 gauge group, P= 0.402, IL-1β; 104.2 pg/ml in 20 gauge group vs 63.4 pg/ml in 23 gauge group, P= 0.124 ).
Conclusions: :
A small incision vitrectomy is likely to be less invasive to ocular surface in comparison to regular 20 gauge vitectomy from the point of post operative tear cytokines. This can be another evidence that a small gauge vitrectomy is recommended.
Keywords: vitreoretinal surgery • inflammation