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Sealed capsule irrigation to prevent posterior capsule opacification: Results of long‐term clinical trials and laboratory studies
Author(s) -
AUFFARTH GU,
RABSILBER TM
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2008.5343.x
Subject(s) - medicine , phacoemulsification , capsule , ophthalmology , cataracts , posterior capsule opacification , surgery , cataract surgery , visual acuity , distilled water , intraocular lens , intraocular pressure , chemistry , botany , chromatography , biology
Purpose We investigated long‐term safety and efficacy of sealed capsule irrigation (SCI) during cataract surgery to prevent posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Methods One eye of each of 17 patients (mean age: 70.1+/‐9.7 years) who presented with bilateral cataracts was randomly chosen for SCI treatment. After phacoemulsification, the capsular bag was vacuum sealed with the PerfectCapsule device (Milvella) followed by SCI using distilled water for two minutes. No vacuum loss occurred during irrigation. Each patient's fellow eye served as a control. One hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens model was implanted in all eyes. Five patients had to be excluded due to deep anterior chamber, small pupil or unilateral surgery. Follow‐up examinations took place one day and one, three, six, 12 and 24 months after surgery. We evaluated safety parameters, anterior capsule (AC) overlapping and PCO. Results Postoperatively, mean best corrected visual acuity, pachymetry, endothelial cell count, intraocular pressure, AC overlapping and PCO showed no statistically significant difference between SCI and the control group (p>0.05, Wilcoxon test). Conclusion SCI is a safe procedure and enables the specific pharmacological targeting of lens epithelial cells inside the capsular bag. Using distilled water, however, it is not possible to reduce PCO development significantly. Thus, alternative substances should be evaluated.