[Different ophthalmologic surgery irrigation solutions. Studies of postoperative inflammation]

Three different solutions, "E153", a complete electrolyte solution for intravenous infusion, as well as Alcon BSS and Alcon BSS Plus, two balanced solutions developed for eye surgery, were tested with regard to their possible effects on postsurgical inflammation progress after cataract extraction.

Seventy-four patients aged 40 to 85 years (39 female, 35 male) were included in a prospective randomized double-blind study. The following served as criteria: Comparison of the pre- and postoperative flare values by means of measurements carried out with Laser-Flare-Meter Kowa FM 500 Clinical assessment by means of a score.

Within the limits of overall low score values of the clinical parameters, i.e. irritation of the iris (score first postoperative day: 0.6-0.8; fourth postoperative day: 0.3-0.5), irritation of the conjunctiva (score first postoperative day: 1.2-1.6; fourth postoperative day: 1.0-1.6), corneal swelling (score first postoperative day: 0.8-1.4; fourth postoperative day: 0.4-0.8) and inflammatory pseudoptosis (score first postoperative day: 1.1-1.6; fourth postoperative day: 0.8-1.6); the values of the group with E153 were higher than the values of the group with BSS and BSS Plus. The protein concentration in the anterior chamber shows a distinct increase in all three groups of patients on the first postoperative day (group 1: from 6.7 preoperatively to 14.3 ph/ms, group 2: from 6.5 to 15.1 ph/ms; group 3: from 5.4 to 17.5 ph/ms) and a continuous decrease of the tyndall until the third postoperative day (group 1: 9.1 ph/ms, group 2: 8.8 ph/ms, group 3: 13.36 ph/ms).

Although the differences between the three groups with regard to all clinical parameters and the measurements with Laser-Flare Meter were statistically not significant, among the overall low values a favourable effect of the balanced solutions BSS and BSS Plus on postoperative inflammation was observed.