The relationship between age and the intraoperative complication rate during phacoemulsification surgery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Phacoemulsification is a common surgical procedure for cataracts.
• Understanding factors influencing intraoperative complications is crucial for patient safety.
• Aging is a potential risk factor for surgical complications, but its specific impact on phacoemulsification is not fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether increasing patient age is associated with a higher rate of intraoperative complications during phacoemulsification surgery.
• To determine if age is a significant predictor of complications in this ophthalmic procedure.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 789 patients undergoing phacoemulsification surgery.
• Patients categorized into three age groups: ≤ 59, 60-74, and ≥ 75 years.
• Intraoperative complications were recorded and analyzed using binary logistic regression, Pearson’s correlation, and Duncan’s multiple range tests.

Main Results:

• Complication rates were 3.78% (≤59 years), 5.17% (60-74 years), and 5.30% (≥75 years).
• Statistical analyses (binary logistic regression, Pearson’s correlation) showed no significant effect of age on intraoperative complication rates (P=0.58 and P=0.076, respectively).
• Duncan's multiple range test confirmed no statistically significant difference in complication incidence across age groups (P=0.18).

Conclusions:

• Age is not a significant factor influencing the rate of intraoperative complications during phacoemulsification surgery.
• The findings suggest that elderly patients can undergo phacoemulsification with similar safety profiles regarding intraoperative complications compared to younger patients.