Posters

Comparison of macular thickness and inflammatory cytokine levels after microincision versus small incision coaxial cataract surgery

Poster Details

First Author: E.Kim SOUTH KOREA

Co Author(s):    M. Kim   M. Kim           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To compare the macular thickness and volume change, and inflammatory cytokine levels after cataract surgery performed using two different sizes of incision (microincision versus small incision).

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.

Methods:

Eighty-four eyes with nuclear density from Grade 3 to 4 were randomly divided into 2 groups (microincision and small incision). Forty-two patients underwent phacoemulsification with microincision coaxial cataract surgery and 42 patients underwent phacoemulsification with small incision coaxial cataract surgery. Intraoperative measurements included ultrasound time (UST), mean cumulative dissipated ultrasound energy (CDE), total balanced salt solution (BSS) use. Clinical measurements included preoperative, 1-week postoperative, 1-month postoperative and 2-month postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central corneal thickness (CCT), and endothelial cell count (ECC). ELISA and RT-PCR were performed for IL-1β, IL-6, VEGF, and PGE2 preoperatively and at 1 week postoperatively.

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences in the postoperative clinical measurements including intraoperative measurements, BCVA, and percentage of endothelial cell loss between microincision and small incision cataract surgery. However, the percentage increase in CCT in the microincision group was significantly higher than that in the small incision group at 1 week after cataract surgery (P<0.05). The increase in macular thickness in the microincision group was significantly higher than that in small incision group at 1 month after cataract operation (P<0.05). Also, IL-1β, IL-6, VEGF, and PGE2 concentrations and their expression ratio in the microincision group were significantly higher than those in the small incision group at 1 week after cataract surgery compared to the preoperative period (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

Phacoemulsification with microincision coaxial cataract surgery may increase the macular thickness compared to phacoemulsification with small incision coaxial cataract surgery. Blood aqueous barrier breakdown can occur more frequently after microincision cataract surgery than after small incision cataract surgery. FINANCIAL INTEREST: NONE