[Endothelial cell loss after phacoemulsification and 3.5 vs. 5 mm corneal tunnel incision]

This prospective study was performed to compare the central endothelial cell loss (ECL) after phacoemulsification and 3.5 with 5 mm temporal clear-corneal incision. Moreover, the influence of ultrasound time and power on postoperative endothelial cell density was evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Sixty-two patients (age 71 +/- 7.7 years) without corneal pathology were operated by phacoemulsification (Storz, Premiere) with a temporal, self-sealing, two-step clear-corneal incision followed by posterior chamber IOL implantation under viscoelastic (1% sodium hyal-uronate). Thirty-one one-piece plate-haptic foldable silicone IOLs (Chiron C10; Staar Surgical AA-4203) were implanted by an injector through a 3.5 mm incision (group A). The other 31 PMMA IOLs (Pharmacia 809P) were implanted through a 5 mm incision (group B). One surgeon performed all operations with the same technique (bimanual phacoemulsification in the capsular bag). Sutureless wound closure was performed in group A, while the wounds in patients of group B were closed with a single radial stitch. The central endothelial cell counts were recorded preoperatively, on days 2-5 and 6 months postoperatively using contact specular microscopy. RESULTS. The collective data revealed a cell loss of 7.9% (+/- 4.1 SD) on days 2-5 postoperatively and 6.7% (+/- 2.9) after 6 months. A direct linear relationship was found to exist between ultrasound time (UT) and ECL. In group A (7 patients) the ECL slightly increased from 3.5% in the first week postoperatively to 3.8% after 6 months, operated under UT < or = 1 min 30 sec. The ECL decreased from 8.2% to 6.4% after 6 months in group A (19 patients), operated under UT of 1 min 30 sec, and from 10.8% to 8.9% under UT of 2 min 31 sec-3 min 30 sec (5 patients). The ECL in group B decreased from 6.3% in the first postoperative week to 5.4% 6 months postoperatively, operated under UT < or = 1 min 30 sec (10 patients), from 8.1% to 7%, operated under UT of 1 min 31 sec-2 min 30 sec (14 patients), and from 11.2% to 10.4% under UT of 2 min 31 sec-3 min 30 sec (7 patients). CONCLUSION. Endothelial cell loss of 6.7% after phacoemulsification through a temporal clear-corneal incision compares favorably with other series in which cell loss was determined following cataract surgery with or without IOL implantation. Phacoemulsification and 3.5 mm clear-corneal incision evoked less ECL of 6.2% compared with phacoemulsification and 5 mm clear-corneal incision with ECL of 7.3% after 6 months.