Comparison of intraocular irrigating solutions in pars plana vitrectomy

A prospective, randomized, masked clinical study was conducted to examine the effects of pars plana vitrectomy on the corneal endothelium comparing Balanced Salt Solution (BSS) to BSS-Plus as an intraocular irrigating solution. Seventy-one patients were followed for at least six months. A significant 6.9% decrease in endothelial cell density was observed among all patients at six months postoperatively, compared to preoperative values, using the contralateral eye as a control. However, no significant difference in endothelial cell loss was found between BSS and BSS-Plus eyes. Both aphakic eyes and those undergoing lensectomy (with vitrectomy) showed a significantly greater reduction of endothelial cell density at six months compared to phakic eyes. No significant difference in corneal thickness was observed at six months postoperatively compared to preoperative values. For the one-year duration of our study BSS was as efficacious in preserving the integrity of the corneal endothelium as was BSS-Plus.