PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Rasik B Vajpayee
AU  - Vidushi Sharma
AU  - Namrata Sharma
AU  - Anita Panda
AU  - Hugh R Taylor
TI  - Evaluation of techniques of single continuous suturing in penetrating keratoplasty
AID  - 10.1136/bjo.85.2.134
DP  - 2001 Feb 01
TA  - British Journal of Ophthalmology
PG  - 134--138
VI  - 85
IP  - 2
4099  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/85/2/134.short
4100  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/85/2/134.full
SO  - Br J Ophthalmol2001 Feb 01; 85
AB  - AIM To evaluate the three techniques of single continuous suturing—namely, torque, antitorque, and no torque in penetrating keratoplasty. METHODS 53 eyes of 53 patients underwent penetrating keratoplasty using torque (17 patients), antitorque (18 patients), and no torque (18 patients) suturing techniques in this prospective study. Patients were followed up at 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Keratometric, videokeratographic, refractive astigmatism, and best corrected visual acuity were determined in all the three groups at each follow up visit. Post-keratoplasty suture adjustment was done at 4 weeks, if the astigmatism was >3 dioptres. RESULTS The initial astigmatism in the torque group was higher than in the other two groups, although it was not statistically significant. Following suture adjustment, there was a significant decrease in astigmatism in all the three groups (p<0.0001). However, no significant difference in the postoperative astigmatism at 3 months and at 6 months was seen among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS The three techniques of single continuous suturing—that is, torque, antitorque, and no torque produce a similar final astigmatic results. Suture adjustment is an effective method of reducing post-penetrating keratoplasty astigmatism.