Retrospective cohort finds 25-gauge vitrectomy achieves complete foreign body removal in all 198 eyes

A retrospective cohort study at a single Chinese hospital analyzed 198 patients (198 eyes) with intraocular foreign body (IOFB) injury who underwent 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for extraction. The population was predominantly young and middle-aged males from rural areas. The primary outcome was short-term best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), with secondary outcomes including clinical presentation and predictors of visual recovery.

Most IOFBs were metal (141 eyes, 71.2%) and the majority entered through Zone I (157 eyes, 79.3%). Complete intraoperative removal of the foreign body was achieved in all 198 cases (100%). Preoperative BCVA was 0.1 or better in 81 eyes. The study mentioned an ROC analysis for predictive factors but did not report its results.

Safety and tolerability data were not reported. The key limitation is the retrospective design, which is subject to selection and information bias. The study only reports short-term outcomes, and long-term visual results are unknown. The predictive accuracy of any model developed is not provided.

For practice, this study describes the procedural success of 25-gauge PPV for IOFB removal in a specific clinical setting. The findings show complete removal is achievable but do not provide evidence on comparative effectiveness, safety, or long-term visual prognosis. The results are associative and should be interpreted within the constraints of the observational design.