97th DOG Annual Meeting 1999
P70
EFFECT OF IRRIGATING SOLUTION AND IRRIGATION TEMPERATURE ON THE CORNEA AND PUPIL DURING PHACOEMULSIFICATION
A.M. Joussen1, U. Barth2, H.-R. Koch2
Success of anterior segment surgery is not only justified by the result in visual acuity, but also by the surgically induced trauma of the surrounding ocular tissues.
Purpose: To investigate the effect of irrigation solution and temperature on the pupillary diameter, corneal endothelium and corneal pachymetry after phacoemulsification.
Methods: 80 patients, who underwent cataract surgery with phacoemulsification were allotted to one of 4 cross-classified groups and irrigated with either room-temperature or refrigerated solutions of either BSS PLUS or Krebs-Ringer. Pupil diameters were recorded at different stages during the surgery. Endothelial cell counts and pachymetry were determined before and 1 day after surgery.
Results: There was no effect of the solution temperature on any of the examined parameters. The type of solutions did not influence the endothelial cell loss, but there was a significant solution effect on corneal pachymetry on postop day 1; BSS+ corneas were less swollen than Ringer corneas. This effect had normalized by day 14, when corneal thickness was equal in all groups.
Conclusion: It could be shown that long term results were equally favorable in all 4 groups. However BSS+ induced less short -term corneal swelling than Ringersolution. From our data BSS+ would certainly decrease corneal risk in all cases with comprised corneas or prolonged surgery.
1 Augenklinik der RWTH Aachen,
2 Dardenne Klinik Bad Godesberg
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