title: Protective effect of the anterior lens capsule during extracapsular cataract extraction. Part II. Preliminary results of clinical study.
abstract: In a clinical study, 61 patients underwent phacoemulsification with subsequent intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. An intercapsular capsulotomy with phacoemulsification was performed on 23 patients and a can opener capsulotomy with phacoemulsification on 38 patients. Wide-field specular microscopy was performed preoperatively and postoperatively on all of the eyes in the study. The cell counts were not divulged to the surgeon before or at the time of surgery. Average endothelial cell loss for the intercapsular technique was 3.9%; with the can opener technique, the average cell loss was 10.1%. This difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.01). Positive correlations between endothelial cell loss relating to ultrasound time and/or the hardness of the cataract existed for the can opener group only (P less than 0.01). These results demonstrate that a protective effect is provided by the presence of the anterior lens capsule during lens substance removal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29401.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Apple
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Tetz
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Gwin
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: O'Morchoe
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Daun
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D002452:Cell Count; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000601:surgery*; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013997:Time Factors; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy