Comparison of cornea endothelial cell counts after combined phacovitrectomy versus pars plana vitrectomy with fragmentation.
BACKGROUND
To compare postoperative cornea endothelial cell loss between combined phacovitrectomy and pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with fragmentation.


METHODS
Eighty-eight consecutive patients (92 eyes) who underwent combined phacovitrectomy (53 eyes from 50 patients) or PPV with fragmentation (39 eyes from 38 patients) were enrolled in this retrospective study. Endothelial cell density (ECD) was calculated with specular microscopy at 1 and 3 months after surgery.


RESULTS
At 3 months after surgery, the mean ECD decreased significantly from 2,646 ± 296 cells/mm(2) to 2,422 ± 347 cells/mm(2) in the combined phacovitrectomy group (P < 0.001). However, the PPV with fragmentation group did not show any significant changes in ECD during the same period (from 2,123 ± 628 cells/mm(2) to 2,073 ± 574 cells/mm(2)). The mean endothelial cell loss in the combined phacovitrectomy group (7.9 and 9.5 %) was significantly higher than that in the PPV with fragmentation group (0.7 and 2.4 %) both at 1 and 3 months postoperatively (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001 respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, corneal endothelial cell loss during the early postoperative period was significantly higher after combined phacovitrectomy than after PPV with fragmentation.
Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Youngsub
Y
Eom
Seong-Woo
SW
Kim
Jaemoon
J
Ahn
Jee Taek
JT
Kim
Kuhl
K
Huh
D002452:Cell Count; D055954:Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology*; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery