Intraoperative breakage of a 25-G vitrectomy probe tip

Abstract

We report breakage of the tip of a 25-G advanced ULTRAVIT vitreous cutter during vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage. During the procedure, we noticed that the cutter tip broke. We switched to another vitrectomy pack of the same brand, and the procedure continued without further complications. Intraoperative and postoperative examinations revealed no broken pieces remaining in the eye. Breakage of 25-G instruments intraoperatively during vitrectomy is a rare occurrence that can lead to complications. Keeping the vitrectomy probe at a safe distance from the light pipe and inspecting the instruments while working inside the eye can help avoid such an event.