Elastic polypropylene suture in cataract surgery: long-term follow-up.

The final part of a prospective, controlled study of elastic polypropylene suture for cataract surgery was undertaken. The aim was to determine the change in induced astigmatism at 30 months after extracapsular cataract surgery and to assess the long-term safety of the suture material. Thirty-two of 44 patients were reexamined for changes in astigmatism. The results of all examinations were subjected to vector analysis. Both the elastic polypropylene group and the nylon control group continued to show an increase in the against-the-rule component of astigmatism. There was no statistical difference (p < 0.5) between the two groups at 30 months post-operatively, though the shift was greater in the polypropylene group. Wound security was similar for both groups but the polypropylene group had a higher incidence of giant papillary conjunctivitis (24%) due to exposed suture ends. The nylon suture was hydrolysed in 89% of that group and all patients were asymptomatic.