Postkeratoplasty Astigmatism Control: Single Continuous Suture Adjustment versus Selective Interrupted Suture Removal

Two different suturing techniques performed during keratoplasty were retrospectively evaluated to compare postkeratoplasty astigmatism, number of suture manipulations, and time to optical stability. One group of patients (n = 31) received a combination of continuous 11.0 nylon suture and 12 or 16 interrupted 10.0 nylon sutures (CCIS), which were selectively removed postoperatively to reduce astigmatism. The second group of patients (n = 26) received a single continuous 10.0 nylon suture (SCS) that was adjusted postoperatively at the slit lamp to regulate corneal astigmatism. Compared with the CCIS technique, adjusting the single continuous suture resulted in less postoperative astigmatism (SCS, 1.5 ± 1.1 diopters [D]; CCIS, 3.2 ± 1.9 D), fewer suture manipulations per patient (SCS, 0.9 ± 0.7; CCIS, 3.8 ± 1.8), and earlier optical stability for visual rehabilitation (SCS, 2.6 ± 1.5 months; CCIS, 9.6 ± 4.7 months) (P < 0.01). No continuous sutures were broken during adjustment. The adjustable single continuous suture may offer an improved method for early control of postkeratoplasty astigmatism.