Preoperative intravenous mannitol administration and its rationale before cataract surgery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Preoperative Management
• Intraocular Pressure Management

Background:

• Preoperative intravenous mannitol is used in ophthalmic surgery.
• Its effects on ocular biometry and intraocular pressure (IOP) require evaluation.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess variations in anterior chamber depth (ACD), axial length (AXL), and IOP.
• To compare these parameters in phakic and pseudophakic eyes.
• To evaluate the impact of preoperative intravenous mannitol infusion.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, non-randomized study of 80 patients (40 phakic, 40 pseudophakic).
• Ophthalmic examinations including IOP measurement and biometry (Anterion®) before and after mannitol infusion.
• Analysis of changes in AXL, ACD, and IOP in the fellow eye.

Main Results:

• No significant changes in AXL or ACD were observed in either phakic or pseudophakic eyes.
• A statistically significant reduction in IOP was found in both phakic (p=0.02) and pseudophakic (p=0.03) groups.
• Mannitol's effect on IOP was consistent across both patient groups.

Conclusions:

• Intravenous mannitol does not alter ACD or AXL in phakic or pseudophakic eyes.
• Mannitol administration leads to a significant reduction in intraocular pressure.
• Potential side effects of mannitol infusion should be considered alongside its IOP-lowering effect.