AIM: To describe a quick, cost-effective alternative to using a scraper to remove the residual posterior vitreous cortex and create an inner limiting membrane (ILM) flap during vitrectomy. METHODS: The surgical technique and a retrospective interventional single-center series of cases were described. A hook was made on the tip of a conventional syringe needle (outer diameter, 0.6 mm; 23 gauge) by bending the needle against a plate. We used this hook to remove the residual posterior vitreous cortex and create an ILM flap during vitrectomy. The efficacy and safety of using this instrument in ophthalmological procedures for a variety of vitreoretinal disorders were evaluated. RESULTS: The hook was effective for removing focal or diffuse residual posterior vitreous cortex in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and pathological myopia. It was also successfully used to make a free edge of the ILM and help strip the epiretinal membrane. There were no serious complications associated with using the hook in delicate ophthalmological procedures. CONCLUSION: The hook, made by bending a conventional needle, is a simple and cost-effective instrument for removing residual posterior vitreous vortex and to create epiretinal and ILM flaps during vitrectomy in eyes with various vitreoretinal diseases.