The Effect Of Combined Vitrectomy, Phacoemulsification And Intraocular Lens Implantation On Corneal Endothelial Cells: A Short-Term Result

Objective:To study the short term clinical effect of combined vitrectomy, phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation on corneal endothelial cells. Methods:This is a prospective study included 16 consecutive patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and different degree of lens opacification,who underwent combined vitrectomy,phacoemusilfication and intraocular lens implantation.All of these patients were tamponaded with silicone oil and followed 6 months.The fellow eyes were taken as the control group.The cell densities, coefficient of variation(CV)and percentage of hexagonal cells of the corneal endothelial cells,recorded by noncontact specular microscopy preoperatively and postoperatively at the sixth month,were compared between the 2 groups.Proportional loss of the corneal endothelial cells was also calculated.Results:The mean cell densities,CV and percentage of hexagonal cells of the corneal endothelial cells did not differ significantly between the 2 groups(P=0.063,0.065 and 0.053 comparatively)and did not differ preoperatively and postoperatively.At 6 months,the mean proportional loss of the corneal endothelial cells was -3.08±2.84(%)in the study group and 0.38±6.49(%)in the control group(P＞0.05).Conclusion: Combined vitrectomy,phacoemusilfication and intraocular lens implantation seemed well tolerated and caused no significant endothelial cell loss and changes in endothelial morphology compared to the fellow eyes in a short term,with all of them tamponaded with silicone oil.Nevertheless,the long-term effect needs further studies.