Corneal endothelial cell loss after pars plana vitrectomy and combined phacoemulsification-vitrectomy surgeries

To compare postoperative corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) loss in eyes undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), or combination of cataract extraction (using phacoemulsification) and intraocular lens implantation with vitrectomy (CE/IOL-PPV) surgeries.

Institutional setting. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and ECD by specular microscopy were measured preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively in both groups. Relative postoperative ECD loss was the primary outcome measure. Change in BCVA was the secondary outcome measure.

Forty eyes of 40 patients undergoing PPV and 46 eyes of 46 patients undergoing CE/IOL-PPV were included in the final analysis. Postoperative ECD was decreased slightly more in the CE/IOL-PPV group compared with the PPV group (13.9% ± 15.5% vs 9.0% ± 14.6%), although this was not statistically significant (p = 0.10). The improvement in the logMAR BCVA was, however, statistically more significant in the CE/IOL-PPV group compared with the PPV group (-56.6% ± 24.3% vs -38.6% ± 45.5%, p = 0.04).

PPV and the combination CE/IOL-PPV surgeries lead to modest and statistically similar postoperative decline in ECD. The combination surgery may lead to slightly more postoperative cells loss, but also more improvement in visual acuity.