Abstract
Purpose :
The heads-up digital stereoscopic display has recently been introduced in vitreoretinal surgery. This system is proposed to facilitate surgical teaching by providing a panoramic view with enhanced depth-of-field and by allowing the operating team to see the surgeon’s view in real-time. We conducted a retrospective review of surgical cases performed during the transition to the digital stereoscopic display in our vitreoretinal fellowship program to study surgical times, complications and reoperation rates.
Methods :
Two hundred and fifty-one consecutive cases performed 7 months before and 7 months after the transition to the stereoscopic display by the same surgeons were reviewed retrospectively. Surgeries were grouped into primarily vitreous cases (n=52), primarily macular cases (n=99), and complex cases (e.g. tractional retinal detachments, proliferative vitreoretinopathy) (n=100). Surgical times, complications, and reoperation rates were noted. Two-tailed Student’s T-test was used for statistical analysis.
Results :
There were no significant differences in reoperation rates (primarily vitreous cases: 0.8% control versus 0% stereoscopic display, P=0.16; primarily macular cases: 3.8% control versus 0% stereoscopic display, P=0.16, complex cases: 21% control versus 25.6% stereoscopic display, P=0.63). In complex cases the redetachment rate was equivalent between the stereoscopic display and the control groups (17.95% stereoscopic display versus 18% control, P=0.99). There were no differences in complications rates between the two groups (P=0.37). The surgical set-up time (wheels-in to start of surgery time) was significantly longer in the stereoscopic display group (Δ= 3 min, P< 0.001). The average surgical time was greater when the stereoscopic display was used in primarily vitreous cases (Δ= 9 min, P= 0.004), and in primarily macular cases (Δ= 5 min, P= 0.004). The average surgical time for complex cases was not significantly different between the stereoscopic display and the control groups (P= 0.61).
Conclusions :
The transition to a heads-up digital stereoscopic display during vitreoretinal fellowship training led to an increase in surgical times and a longer surgical set-up time without increasing the complication or reoperation rates.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.