Technique
Repairing iridodialysis by riveting with a double-flanged polypropylene suture

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Three patients with iridodialysis were recruited. A 6-0 polypropylene suture was cut to the proper length and flanged by cautery. A long (19.0 mm), ultrathin 30-gauge needle was inserted in the anterior chamber from the sclera around the iris and penetrated in the dialyzed iris, then exited through the cornea on the contralateral side. The flanged polypropylene suture was inserted in the needle from the unflanged side. After the 30-gauge needle was withdrawn, the flanged suture remained, passing the dialyzed iris and sclera. The unflanged ends of the polypropylene sutures were cut and flanged until each flange reached the sclera. It was easy to place multiple sutures. There were no cases of extrusion of the suture nor of the recurrence of iridodialysis up to 1 year. This technique is a good alternative to repair iridodialysis.

Section snippets

Surgical Technique

A 6-0 polypropylene suture is prepared in advance. The diameter of this suture is three times that of a 10-0 polypropylene suture, but it is less than that of the IOL haptic. Approximately 3.0 cm of the polypropylene suture is reduced into a small ball with heat applied using high-temperature cautery (Accu-Temp, Beaver-Visitec International, Inc.) (Figure 1, A). The ball is then flattened and widened with a needle holder (Figure 1, B). The polypropylene suture is cut to reach a length of

Discussion

There were no surgery-associated complications in any of the cases. We observed that the polypropylene not only dislocated the atrophic iris but also fixed and retained its shape (Figure 2). There is little possibility of the rivets falling out in the long term because they were thicker than 10-0 polypropylene; however, some risk does exist.

In cases of shorter iridodialysis, which require just one stich to be fixed, a double-armed suture is still useful; however, our technique is more useful

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