title: Effects of Healon vs. Viscoat on endothelial cell count and morphology after phacoemulsification and posterior chamber lens implantation.
abstract: The endothelial cell count and several morphologic characteristics of the cells were examined before and after surgery in 56 consecutive patients (60 eyes) who underwent phacoemulsification and implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens with either Healon (30 eyes) or Viscoat (30 eyes) as the viscoelastic material. In all cases the technique was the same, including removal of the viscoelastic from the anterior chamber at the end of the operation. The mean cell loss was greater in the Viscoat group than in the Healon group (9.27% +/- 2.52% vs. 2.71% +/- 2.53%), but not significantly so. There was a significantly greater reduction in polymegathism in the Healon group than in the Viscoat group (p less than 0.05). Although the results suggest that Healon has a greater protective effect on the corneal endothelium than Viscoat, the greater effort needed to remove Viscoat from the anterior chamber may have adversely affected the endothelium. Further studies in which Viscoat is left in the eye are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, University of Western Ontario, London.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Rafuse
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Nichols
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D002807:Chondroitin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; C501944:chondroitin sulfate, sodium hyaluronate drug combination; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D002807:Chondroitin; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates