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Treatment of postcataract fibrinous membranes with tissue plasminogen activator
1Department of Ophthalmology, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in treatment of postcataract fibrinous membranes.
Methods:
The authors injected 25 micrograms of tPA into the anterior chamber of 52 pseudophakic eyes with moderate to severe fibrinous membranes that developed after cataract surgery.
Results:
Intraocular tPA injection resulted in complete fibrinolysis in 47 of 52 eyes (90%) and partial fibrinolysis in 5 of 52 eyes (10%). In cases of complete fibrinolysis, resolution of the fibrinous membrane occurred within 30 minutes in 22 of 47 eyes (47%) and within 1 hour in 25 of 47 eyes (53%). No evidence of toxicity was observed as measured by slit-lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure, and corneal endothelial cell density, size, and morphology. Complications of tPA administration included periorbital pain (4 eyes), anterior chamber hemorrhage (4 eyes), and anterior chamber turbidity (3 eyes).
Conclusion:
The authors believe that intraocular tPA is effective and safe in the treatment of postcataract fibrinous membranes.