Evaluation of through-and-through corneal sutures

P. S. Binder

Sutures placed at the level of Descemet's membrane were compared with sutures placed through and through the full corneal thickness in 42 rabbit corneas using cataract and corneal wounds. The rabbits were killed, and sutures were removed at various postoperative periods up to four weeks. Evaluation of the wounds demonstrated that although the through-and-through technique provided good wound closure in the immediate postoperative period, the technique produced more damage to Descemet's membrane and to the endothelial cells, both at the time of suturing and at the time of suture removal, and tended to produce greater retrocorneal membrane formation. In addition, the through-and-through suturing technique was technically more difficult. In this study performed in rabbits, the one advantage of the through-and-through suture, ie, immediate posterior wound closure, was outweighed by its many disadvantages.