Efficacy of Nepafenac versus Flurbiprofen in Maintaining Intraoperative Mydriasis During Phacoemulsification: A...

To compare the efficacy of topical nepafenac (0.1%) with flurbiprofen (0.03%) in maintaining intra-operative mydriasis during phacoemulsification surgery.

This study comprised of 160 patients, who were divided into two arms of 80 each (arms A and B) after randomisation. Pre-operatively, all patients received one drop of tropicamide 0.8% and phenylephrine 5% (combination), 4 times, at an interval of 15 minutes on the day of surgery. Thereafter, Nepafenac drop in arm A/Flurbiprofen drop in arm B was administered 4 times, at an interval of 15 minutes keeping a gap of 10 minutes between tropicamide-phenylephrine and any of the experimental drugs. Phacoemulsification was performed one hour after the administration of last drop. Both vertical and horizontal pupillary diameter were measured at three steps; immediately before the surgical incision (baseline), at the end of emulsification of nucleus (before irrigation and aspiration) and at the end of surgery (after stromal hydration).

The difference in pupillary diameter between two groups, was statistically insignificant for vertical diameter (P = 0.08) and horizontal diameter (P = 0.28) at the start of surgery. On the other hand, pupillary diameter difference was statistically significant after emulsification of nucleus and at the end of surgery as well when both vertical (P < 0.05) and horizontal diameter (P < 0.05) were considered. The total reduction in pupillary diameter (both vertically and horizontally) was significantly less in the Nepafenac as compared to Flurbiprofen group (P < 0.05). Analysis of mean cumulative dissipated energy did not document any appreciable difference between the two groups. Phacoemulsification time analysis yielded statistically significant results (P = 0.004) between the Nepafenac and Flurbiprofen group.

In the present study, topical Nepafenac (0.1%) proved to be more efficacious in maintaining intra-operative mydriasis during phacoemulsification surgery as compared to topical Flurbiprofen (0.03%).