Diathermic Capsulotomy for Phacoemulsification in Hypermature Cataract.

Cheon, Hee Jong; Park, In Chul; Lee, Kyung Hun

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 1999;40(1):88-93.
Published online January 1, 1999.

Diathermic Capsulotomy for Phacoemulsification in Hypermature Cataract.

Hee Jong Cheon, In Chul Park, Kyung Hun Lee

St. Mary`s Eye Hospital, Inc. Woo 2-Dong, HaeWoondae-ku, Pusan.

과숙 팽대 백내장의 초음파유화술시 Diathermy 원형낭절개술의 임상결과

천희종(Hee Jong Cheon),박인철(In Chul Park),이경헌(Kyung Hun Lee)

Abstract

To evaluate the result of diathermic capsulotomy for phacoemulsification in hypermature intumescent cataracts, we retrospectively studied 34 patients(35 eyes) who were operated from January 1995 to February 1997. Central corneal endothelia cell counts were taken preoperatively and 2 months postoperatively by non-contact specular microscopy and endothelial cell loss(%) was calculated. The anterior capsular radial tear occurred in 24 eyes(68%), posterior capsular rupture occurred in 1 eye(2.9%) and the percentage of postoperative endothelial cell loss was 6.45(+/-7.27)%. The high rate of anterior capsular radialtear was due to altered mechanical integrity of the diathermic capsulotomy edge. But the thermal effect on the corneal endothelium was minute. Based on these findings, the diathermic capsulotomy for phacoemulsification in hypermature intumescent cataracts is very useful technique.

Key Words: Corneal endothelium;Diathermic capsulotomy;Hypermature intumescent cataract