Endothelial Cell Damage in Microincison Cataract Surgery and Coaxial Phacoemulsification.

Kim, Hee Jung; Kim, Jin Hyoung; Lee, Do Hyung

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2007;48(1):19-26.
Published online January 31, 2007.

Endothelial Cell Damage in Microincison Cataract Surgery and Coaxial Phacoemulsification.

Hee Jung Kim, Jin Hyoung Kim, Do Hyung Lee

Department of Ophthalmology, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. dhlee@ilsanpaik.ac.kr

미세각막절개 백내장 수술과 고전적 백내장 수술에서의 각막내피세포의 손상정도 비교

김희중,김진형,이도형

Department of Ophthalmology, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

Correspondence: Hee Jung Kim, M.D.

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the damage to corneal endothelial cells following coaxial phacoemulsification and bimanual microincision cataract surgery (MICS). METHODS: We measured and compared the changes in the corneal endothelial mean cell density, cell size variation coefficient, hexagonality, and central corneal thickness in senile cataract patients who had received either coaxial phacoemulsification (Group 1, n=20), MICS using ultrasound (Group 2, n=20), and MICS using laser (Group 3, n=20). The endothelial cell parameters and corneal thickness were evaluated preoperatively and at 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months postoperatively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the three groups in terms of the endothelial cell parameters and corneal thickness during two months (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MICS is a safe technique that does not appear to be associated with more damage to the corneal endothelium than coaxial phacoemulsification. A longer follow-up study is necessary to investigate its potential benefits for replacing conventional surgery.

Key Words: Coaxial phacoemulsification;Corneal endothelial cell damage;Microincision cataract surgery