J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2013 Apr;54(4):602-609. 10.3341/jkos.2013.54.4.602.

Long-Term Results after Cataract Surgery in Patients with Low Corneal Endothelial Cell Density

• Choi JH
• Oh HJ
• Yoon KC

• KMID: 2216941
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2013.54.4.602

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigate the long-term results after cataract surgery in eyes with low endothelial cell density (ECD).
METHODS
A retrospective medical record review was performed of 19 patients with low ECD (lower than 1000 cells/mm2) who 31 patients with a normal ECD (higher than 1600 cells/mm2) underwent cataract surgery. Clinical parameters including visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), spherical equivalent refraction, anterior chamber depth, axial length and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured and specular microscopy was performed to analyze the ECD and its morphology. The follow-up periods were 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively.
RESULTS
Clinical parameters except ECD and CCT had no significant difference between the 2 groups until 12 months postoperatively. The decreasing rate of ECD and increase of CCT were significantly different between the 2 groups at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively. However, no significant difference was found after 3 months postoperatively. Only 1 eye in the low ECD group with 367 cells/mm2 developed bullous keratopathy.
CONCLUSIONS
In the low ECD group, a significant decrease of ECD and increase of CCT were observed at 1 month after cataract surgery. However there were no significant differences compared with the control group after 3 months postoperatively. The results suggest that cataract surgery is safe postoperatively for a long-term for a patient with low ECD.

Keyword

Cataract surgery; Corneal decompensation; Low corneal endothelial cell

MeSH Terms

Anterior Chamber
Cataract
Endothelial Cells
Eye
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Intraocular Pressure
Medical Records
Microscopy
Retrospective Studies
Visual Acuity

Figure

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  Figure 1. Comparison of visual acuity (A), intraocular pressure (B), spherical equivalent refraction (C) and anterior chamber depth (D) between the low ECD and control groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. ECD = endothelial cell density.

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  Figure 2. Changes of ECD after cataract surgery in the low ECD (A) and control (B) groups. ECD = endothelial cell density. *p < 0.05 compared with preoperative levels.

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  Figure 3. Comparison of the decreasing rate of ECD after cataract surgery between the low ECD and control groups. ECD = endothelial cell density. *Statistically difference between the low ECD and control groups.

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  Figure 4. Comparison of hexagonality (A) and variation coefficient of endothelial cell size (B) between the low ECD and control groups. There were no statistically significant differences between low ECD and control groups. ECD = endothelial cell density.

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  Figure 5. Changes of central corneal thickness after cataract surgery in the low ECD (A) and control (B) groups. ECD = endothelial cell density. *p < 0.05 compared with preoperative levels.

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  Figure 6. Comparison of central corneal thickness after cataract surgery between the low ECD and control groups. ECD = endothelial cell density. *Statistically difference between the low ECD and control groups.

Reference

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