Evaluation Of Anterior Chamber Inflammation After Phacoemulsification In Uveitis Patients

Comparison of the inflammatory response by AS-OCT in uncomplicated ultrasound phacoemulsification and laser nanosecond cataract surgery in patients with acute anterior uveitis in remission.

Department of ophthalmology, Specialised Hospital for Active Treatment of Eye Deseases “Zrenieto”

This study was prospectively performed in 42 patients (84 eyes). Coaxial US phacoemulsification was performed in one group (US group) and coaxial nanosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery in the other (laser group) of the same grade of cataract, according to LOCS III system. The cell detection was achieved by the anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Traditional techniques, such as laser flare meter and fluorophotometry, are not widely used since they are time-consuming. With the development of optical coherence tomography with high sensitivity, direct imaging offers an excellent alternative to assess objectively the inflammation with the potential for automated analysis.

We present the inflammation analysis before and after surgery in the two groups. The obtained results before and after were compared in the two groups using 2-tailed unpaired t- tests. Correlations were analysed by using the bivariate Pearson method or, when data were not normally distributed, the Spearman ρ coefficient. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The nanosecond cataract surgery presents some advantages in comparison to the standard ultrasound phacoemulsification in uveitis patients.