PURPOSE: Evaluating whether fibrin glue causes less postoperative pain, discomfort, and sick leave in conjunctival closure following 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy than sutures. DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent in 2006 to 506 patients who underwent 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy in 2004 at University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium. Postoperative pain, eye discomfort, and sick leave duration were determined. RESULTS: The patients in the glue group had a shorter duration of eye redness (P = .0471), eye discomfort (P = .0376), and ointment use (P = .0105). The patients in the glue group used less ointment (P = .0038), had shorter sick leave with independent workers (P = .0292), and experienced less pain on the first postoperative day after vitrectomy without cerclage (P = .0340). CONCLUSIONS: Fibrin glue causes less postoperative pain, discomfort, and sick leave for closure of conjunctival wounds in 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy than sutures, and therefore, appears in our hands to be a better alternative to sutures.
PURPOSE: Evaluating whether fibrin glue causes less postoperative pain, discomfort, and sick leave in conjunctival closure following 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy than sutures. DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent in 2006 to 506 patients who underwent 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy in 2004 at University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium. Postoperative pain, eye discomfort, and sick leave duration were determined. RESULTS: The patients in the glue group had a shorter duration of eye redness (P = .0471), eye discomfort (P = .0376), and ointment use (P = .0105). The patients in the glue group used less ointment (P = .0038), had shorter sick leave with independent workers (P = .0292), and experienced less pain on the first postoperative day after vitrectomy without cerclage (P = .0340). CONCLUSIONS: Fibrin glue causes less postoperative pain, discomfort, and sick leave for closure of conjunctival wounds in 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy than sutures, and therefore, appears in our hands to be a better alternative to sutures.