LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Gore-Tex sutures for scleral fixation of IOLs maintain stability and have few ocular complications over the long term, according to a study.
In a presentation at the American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting, Luis A. Acaba-Berrocal, MD, said there are several techniques for scleral fixation of IOLs.
"Polytetrafluoroethylene, better known as Gore-Tex, sutures have gained popularity due to their high tensile strength and durability," he said. "However, there's no long-term data on this, and thus, their long-term safety and efficacy remain unknown."
Acaba-Berrocal and colleagues conducted a retrospective consecutive series of 55 eyes of 55 patients who underwent combined pars plana vitrectomy and IOL scleral fixation with Gore-Tex sutures between 2012 and 2016 with at least 7 years of follow-up.
Mean visual acuity improved from 20/300 before surgery to 20/70 at 3 months after surgery (P < .001). The improvement persisted through 1, 5 and 7 years after surgery, according to Acaba-Berrocal.
Fourteen cases had postoperative complications. Macular edema (11%) was the most common complication, followed by persistent corneal edema (7%), visually significant lens tilt (3.6%) and suture exposure (3.6%). There were no cases of suture erosion, suture breakage or endophthalmitis; one case experienced opacification.
"Gore-Tex sutures maintain stability and tensile strength in the long term," Acaba-Berrocal said. "They're associated with few ocular complications and are safe at at least a 9-year follow-up period."