Subconjunctival Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection Compared with Dexamethasone Ophthalmic Insert for Inflammation...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Cataract surgery can lead to post-operative inflammation, including rebound iritis and cystoid macular edema (CME).
• Prophylactic anti-inflammatory treatments are crucial for managing these complications.
• Intracanicular dexamethasone implant (DII) and subconjunctival triamcinolone injection (STAI) are used for this purpose.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy and outcomes of DII versus STAI in preventing rebound iritis and CME during the first post-operative month (POM1) after cataract surgery.
• To analyze the timing and characteristics of inflammatory complications between the two treatment groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective comparative cohort study of patients undergoing standard cataract surgery.
• Patients received either an intraoperative DII (0.4 mg) or a post-operative STAI (4-6 mg).
• Exclusion criteria included additional anti-inflammatory treatments, history of iritis, ocular infection, glaucoma, or surgical complications.

Main Results:

• The DII group (266 eyes) and STAI group (103 eyes) had similar demographics and pre-operative intraocular pressures (IOP).
• No significant IOP elevation (>10 mmHg) was observed in either group.
• The mean time to iritis onset was shorter in the DII group (12.8 days) compared to the STAI group (22.3 days) (p < 0.05).
• Rates of rebound iritis (9.0% DII vs. 3.9% STAI) and CME were not significantly different between groups.

Conclusions:

• STAI may be associated with a later onset of iritis compared to DII after cataract surgery.
• Both STAI and DII demonstrate comparable safety and clinical utility in preventing post-operative inflammation.
• Post-operative complications were low in both treatment groups.