Posters

Cataract surgery risk assessment: the contribution of glaucoma in the difficulties involved during cataract surgery by ophthalmologists in training according to their experience

Poster Details

First Author: E. Kanonidou GREECE

Co Author(s):    P. Kalouda   G. Karagiannidis-Stampoulis   A. Dimitriou   A. Anifantis   D. Karamanis   G. Sakkias     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Difficulties encountered by ophthalmologists-in-training in performing cataract surgery and managing complications depend on their surgical expertise and the patients’ medical and ocular pathology. Our purpose was to evaluate the contribution of coexisting glaucoma, an ocular comorbidity associated with increased complexity of cataract surgery, in the involved difficulties during cataract surgery performed by residents according to their experience.

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology, Hippokrateion General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece/ Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Kavala, Kavala, Greece.

Methods:

Cataract surgery risk assessment was performed using Cataract surgery risk score evaluation form from the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Ophthalmology, United Kingdom, translated in Greek with the translation-back translation technique. Cataract patients were evaluated during their scheduled visits. The residents filled in the form and calculated the Complexity Score, according to patients’ history and their findings.

Results:

222 consecutive patients (99 males) scheduled for cataract surgery participated in the study. Their mean age was 75.5 years old (SD 8.6) and their mean Complexity Score was 6.3 (SD 5.4). 31 patients suffered from glaucoma. Their mean age was 75.5 years old (SD 6.7) and their mean Complexity Score was 6.8 (SD 4.2). According to the cataract surgery complexity index used, cases with scores below or equal to 7 should be performed by trainees who had already performed 101-250 surgeries.

Conclusions:

Cataract surgery in patients with glaucoma is often challenging and can result in intraoperative complications. Preoperative evaluation of patients’ history and findings through standardized evaluation forms might help residents to estimate the risks and undertake cases suitable for their expertise.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE