{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T08:16:51Z","timestamp":1783325811534,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":13,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]],"date-time":"2026-07-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783036800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783296000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":3,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100008977","name":"Universit\u00e4t Ulm","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100008977","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["BMC Ophthalmol"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Flanged scleral fixation techniques are increasingly used in the management of intraocular lens dislocation and aphakia. However, complications such as conjunctival erosion and scleral migration remain a concern. Flange geometry may play a critical role in anchoring stability. This study investigates the thermoplastic properties of various suture materials to identify optimal conditions for flange formation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A disposable electrocautery device with a power supply and tip temperature of 392\u00a0\u00b0C was used for standardised application. Seven suture materials were used: polypropylene (6\/0), polyamide 6 (6\/0), polyamide 6.6 (6\/0), vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF) (6\/0), polyester (5\/0), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (5\/0 and 6\/0). All sutures were heated 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5\u00a0mm from the distal end and examined in 4 repeat measurements. The prepared flanges were photographed and measured using a digital microscope. The flange dimensions and geometry were assessed. Ratios of flange width to flange length and flange width to suture diameter were calculated.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>All suture materials except polyamide 6.6 (6\/0) and PTFE (5\/0) formed a flange shape due to the increase in temperature as demonstrated by repeated measurements with a high degree of reproducibility. While polypropylene and PVDF took on a mushroom\/rhomboid shape, the flange shape of polyamide 6 and polyester was spherical. The flange geometry of PTFE was funnel-shaped with sharp edges. With increasing duration of heat exposure, the flange length of polypropylene and PVDF increased more significantly than the flange width.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Polypropylene and PVDF demonstrate favorable thermoplastic properties for flanged scleral fixation, enabling reproducible flange formation with short heating times. A heating length of approximately 1\u00a0mm appears optimal for controlled flange geometry. Further biomechanical and in vivo studies are required to validate clinical performance.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12886-026-05091-2","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]],"date-time":"2026-07-03T12:33:36Z","timestamp":1783082016000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Flanged scleral fixation: thermoplastic properties of suture materials and implications for flange geometry"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2321-2359","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melih","family":"Parlak","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jens Ulrich","family":"Werner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muhammet","family":"Cinar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Armin","family":"Wolf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"5091_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1037","DOI":"10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000001497","volume":"50","author":"J Lee","year":"2024","unstructured":"Lee J, Lee J, Lee CS, Kim M, Byeon SH, Kim SS, Kang HG. Factors predicting redislocation or suture break in eyes after scleral-fixated intraocular lens. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2024;50:1037\u201344. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000001497.","journal-title":"J Cataract Refract Surg"},{"key":"5091_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Desai A, Pappuru RR, Tyagi M. Ten-year results of scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantation: outcomes of ab externo scleral fixation with 10\u2009\u2013\u20090 polypropylene suture. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2024;50(2):128\u2013133. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000001327. PMID: 38259132.","DOI":"10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000001327"},{"issue":"8","key":"5091_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1136","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ophtha.2017.03.036","volume":"124","author":"S Yamane","year":"2017","unstructured":"Yamane S, Sato S, Maruyama-Inoue M, Kadonosono K. Flanged Intrascleral Intraocular Lens Fixation with Double-Needle Technique. Ophthalmology. 2017;124(8):1136\u201342. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ophtha.2017.03.036.","journal-title":"Ophthalmology"},{"issue":"6","key":"5091_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"565","DOI":"10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000001154","volume":"49","author":"S Canabrava","year":"2023","unstructured":"Canabrava S, Carvalho MS. Double-flanged polypropylene technique for scleral fixation of intraocular lenses: 5-year results. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2023;49(6):565\u201370. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000001154.","journal-title":"J Cataract Refract Surg"},{"key":"5091_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oret.2022.10.015","volume":"7","author":"P Pakravan","year":"2023","unstructured":"Pakravan P, Patel V, Chau V, Rohowetz L, Lai J, Fan KC, Al-Khersan H, Melo IM, Muni RH, Tsao SW, Kaplan R, Jung JJ, Hoyek S, Patel NA, Kuriyan AE, Laura DM, Mantopoulos D, Syed ZA, Yannuzzi NA. Haptic Erosion Following Sutureless Scleral-fixated Intraocular Lens Placement. Ophthalmol Retina. 2023;7:333\u20137. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.oret.2022.10.015.","journal-title":"Ophthalmol Retina"},{"key":"5091_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1109","DOI":"10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000000738","volume":"47","author":"L Werner","year":"2021","unstructured":"Werner L. Flange erosion\/exposure and the risk for endophthalmitis. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2021;47:1109\u201310. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000000738.","journal-title":"J Cataract Refract Surg"},{"key":"5091_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Icoz M, Erkan E, Kilinc AK. Comparison of PVDF and PMMA Haptics Used in the Modified Yamane Technique. J Cataract Refract Surg. Epub ahead of print. 2026. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/j.jcrs.0000000000001914. 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Due to the experimental study design, no statement from the ethics committee was required. There was no patient contact. Clinical data were not collected.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethical approval"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"382"}}