46. Considerations on 25 gauge vitrectomy
Giampaolo Gini (Prato)
Today’s orientation in many fields of surgery is to be “minimally invasive”. Small surgical incisions
lead to faster patient recovery; however, they are not applicable to all pathologies and
related procedures.
Vitreo-retinal surgery has followed the general trend, seeking faster, less invasive ways of performing
those procedures traditionally approached with 20 gauge systems with smaller gauge
ones.
The paper aims at presenting the pros and cons of standard vitrectomy as opposed to 25 gauge.
It concludes that the two are complementary rather than rivals.
Although 25 (and 23) ga. vitrectomy can successfully overlap most 20 ga. surgery, at present
there seems no particular advantage in doing so except in most macular surgery and other
selected cases.
Therefore, 25 ga. vitrectomy probably finds its ideal use in high-output macula-procedures operating rooms while more complex
procedures should still be dealt with standard gauge vitrectomy.