Comparison Of Continupus Anterior Chamber Infusion And Ophthalmic Viscoelastic In Phacoemulsification On The Postoperative Corneal

Objective: To evaluate whether continuous anterior chamber infusionduring phacoemulsification damages the structure of the cornea.Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial. Fifty-twoeyes of senile cataract undergoing phacoemulsification were included. Patientswere randomly divided into Groups A and B. Cataract surgery was performedby phacoemulsification with continuous anterior chamber infusion in Group A(26patients), and by phacoemulsification with an ophthalmic viscoelasticdevice in Group B (26patients). Corneal endothelial cell density and cornealastigmatism were measured preoperatively and on postoperative days7,30, and90.Results: The decrease in density of corneal endothelial cells onpostoperative days30and90was25.35%and28.05%, respectively, in Group A;and26.80%and28.54%, respectively, in Group B. There were no significantdifferences between the two groups on postoperative day30(p=0.72) or90(p=0.91). In group A, variation coefficient in cells size at postoperative days30and90were（39.17±6.06）%and（38.86±3.56）%, they were all higher than that before operation（38.74±7.94）%, percentage of hexagonal cells at postoperativedays30and90were（47.31±11.25）%and（47.73±8.36）%, they were all lowerthan that before operation（54.15±8.29）%. In group B, variation coefficient incells size at postoperative days30and90were （38.12±7.09）%and（37.22±6.51）%, they were all higher than that before operation（37.04±5.72）%, percentage of hexagonal cells at postoperative days30and90were（47.38±11.08）%and（49.31±10.26）%, they were all lower than that beforeoperation（53.69±7.99）%. Variation coefficient in cells size and percentage ofhexagonal cells at different times points before and after operation between twogroups were compared, and there were no significant differences (all P>0.05).The surgically induced astigmatism on postoperative days30and90was (0.63±0.39) diopters (D) and (0.47±0.23) D, respectively, in Group A; and (0.79±0.38) D and (0.60±0.34) D, respectively, in Group B. There were no significantdifferences between the two groups on postoperative day30(p=0.15) or90(p=0.11).Conclusions: Continuous anterior chamber infusion duringphacoemulsification maintained satisfactory anterior chamber depth andprevented anterior chamber collapse without increasing corneal endothelial cellinjury or surgically induced astigmatism. Phacoemulsification with continuousanterior chamber infusion is therefore considered a safe procedure.