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Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery in shallow anterior chambers: comparison with the manual method
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First Author: E.Favuzza ITALY
Co Author(s): C. De Vitto M. Cennamo R. Vignapiano R. Mencucci
Abstract Details
Purpose:
To compare the postoperative outcomes between femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) and manual phacoemulsification in eyes with shallow anterior chambers (anterior chamber depth, ACD<2.50 mm).
Setting:
Eye Clinic, Neurofarba Department, University of Florence, Italy
Methods:
Forty eyes of 40 patients with senile cataract (LOCS 2-3) with an ACD<2.50 mm underwent FLACS (femto group, n=20) or manual phacoemulsification (phaco group, n=20). Intraoperative surgical parameters were recorded. Preoperatively and 1 week, 1 and 6 months after surgery central corneal thickness (CCT) and endothelial cell density (ECD) were evaluated; basal epithelial cell (BEC) and Langerhans dendritic cell (LDC) densities and activation of stromal keratocytes were assessed using in vivo corneal confocal microscopy (IVCM).
Results:
Cumulated dissipated energy (CDE) and ultrasound (US) power were lower in the femto group (P=0.044 and P=0.000). In the phaco group the CCT was significantly higher 1 week (P<0.001) and 1 month (P=0.007) after surgery than the preoperative values; conversely, in the femto group it returned to preoperative values after 1 month. The endothelial cell loss (ECL) was significantly lower in the femto group at all timepoints; BECs and LDCs significantly increased 1 week after surgery (P<0.001), returning similar to the preoperative values after 1 month in both groups. Stromal keratocyte activation remained significantly higher 1 month after surgery only in the phaco group.
Conclusions:
In eyes with shallow ACs, FLACS was a safe and effective technique for cataract treatment, significantly reducing the postoperative endothelial cell loss and corneal inflammation compared to conventional phacoemulsification.
Financial Disclosure:
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