title: Trypan blue as a surgical adjunct in pediatric cataract surgery.
abstract: To study the effect of trypan blue on lens capsule elasticity and ease of completing a continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) in a sheep lens model and to subsequently observe the effects of trypan blue in the surgical setting of 3 pediatric patients.
  
  
  
  State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
  
  
  
  Prospective case series.
  
  
  
  Twenty-four lenses were excised from fresh sheep globes. Twelve lenses were immersed in trypan blue for 2.5 minutes, and 12 lenses were immersed in a balanced salt solution for 2.5 minutes. Ease of completion of CCC was graded, and intralenticular pressure was quantified. A pediatric cataract surgeon used trypan blue to stain the lens capsules of 3 children during cataract surgery. The surgeon noted the effects of trypan blue on capsule elasticity and on the ease of completion of the CCC.
  
  
  
  Lenses immersed in trypan blue had a mean score of 2.58 in ease of completion of capsulorhexis compared with the control group (1.5) (P = .031). Capsulorhexis was successfully completed in 91.7% of trypan blue cases compared with 58.3% of controls. Immersion in trypan blue decreased the intralenticular pressure by a mean of 4.5 mm Hg (P = .025). Successful capsulorhexis was completed in the 3 pediatric cases.
  
  
  
  Trypan blue improved the success rate of CCC completion in the sheep lens by decreasing lens capsule elasticity.
  
  
  
  None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology (Fridman, Rizzuti, Liao, Deutsch, Kaufman), State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, and the Department of Ophthalmology (Rolain), Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fridman
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology (Fridman, Rizzuti, Liao, Deutsch, Kaufman), State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, and the Department of Ophthalmology (Rolain), Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA. Electronic address: allisonrizzuti@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Allison E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rizzuti
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology (Fridman, Rizzuti, Liao, Deutsch, Kaufman), State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, and the Department of Ophthalmology (Rolain), Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Jewel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology (Fridman, Rizzuti, Liao, Deutsch, Kaufman), State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, and the Department of Ophthalmology (Rolain), Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rolain
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology (Fridman, Rizzuti, Liao, Deutsch, Kaufman), State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, and the Department of Ophthalmology (Rolain), Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Ophthalmology (Fridman, Rizzuti, Liao, Deutsch, Kaufman), State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, and the Department of Ophthalmology (Rolain), Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kaufman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019923:Capsulorhexis / Q000379:methods*; D002386:Cataract; D002648:Child; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014343:Trypan Blue / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D014343:Trypan Blue