title: Air, methylcellulose, sodium hyaluronate and the corneal endothelium. Endothelial protective agents.
abstract: In a randomised trial the endothelial protective agent used during extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens insertion was air in 19 eyes (group 1), methylcellulose in 25 eyes (group 2) and sodium hyaluronate in 22 (group 3). The cell population densities of each eye were estimated immediately before and three months after the operations to determine the degree of cell loss. Eyes showing mechanical (touch) damage on the second postoperative day were eliminated. The numbers of eyes in each group which showed a statistically significant cell loss were compared, and the mean cell losses in each group were tested for significant differences. It appears that air actually damages the endothelium while methylcellulose and Na-hyaluronate are not harmful, and afford a high, essentially equal degree of endothelial protection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Ophthalmology, Institute of Ophthalmology, London.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kerr Muir
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Sherrard
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Steele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000388:Air; D002452:Cell Count; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D008747:Methylcellulose