Total of 136 eyes needed silicone oil injection into the eyes, follow-up from 6 to 10 months. There were two methods was feasible through 23G wound, with cannula and without canula. A polyamide tube with extremely thin wall was utilized allowing injection of silicone oil through 23 G entry cannulas, the injection taken about 3-6 minutes; another method was to pull out the 23G cannula, inserted a truncated intravenous catheter with a 1cm length tip through the incision into the vitreous cavity, the injection needed 3-5 minutes. Three eyes required one suture to maintain the incision closing. Silicone oil was removed from 95 eyes, follow-up from 5 to 18 months. Valved trocar removed the valve and a truncated infusion needle tube (tip retain about 3.5mm), connected to the trocar rear, utilized 550-600mmHg vacuum aspiration; Alcon no valve cannula, interception of 3.5mm Alcon 23 G perfusion tube connection to the cannula with 550-600mmHg suction. The mean silicone oil removal time was 5.35 ± 1.60 minutes. No intraoperative complications were noted. Only 2 sclerotomy needed suture placement at the end of procedure. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 3.53 ± 0.65 months (range: 3-5 months). The visual acuity improved or stabilized in all eyes. Postoperative transient hypotony (
CONCLUSIONS: Use of present 23G Minimally Invasive Vitrectomy system can easily inject and completely remove the 5000 cps silicone oil.
