Air bubble endothelial damage during phacoemulsification in human eye bank eyes: The protective effects of Healon and Viscoat

Abstract

Ng, damage to endothelial cells in the central cornea was quantified. Endothelial damage averaged 4.5% in eyes in which no viscoelastic was used (positive control), whereas damage was only 0.4% (P<.001) in eyes in which a viscoelastic was inserted but no air bubbles were introduced (negative control). Endothelial damage in test specimens using air plus Healon averaged 4.9%. Damage in test specimens using air plus Viscoat averaged 0.3% (P<.02). As demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy, many areas in the positive controls and in the Healon test specimens were damaged too extensively to quantitate accurately by the method we used. Thus, Viscoat may prevent or lessen damage to the corneal endothelium by small air bubbles during phacoemulsification. aReprint requests to Randall J. Olson, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology, University of Utah Health Science Center, 50 North Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132. Presented at the 2nd American-International Congress on Cataract, IOL and Refractive Surgery, Washington, D.C., April 1989. Supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York. Special thanks to John P. Chandler, Ph.D., Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Salt Lake City, for his expert assistance in obtaining the SEMs and to Mary Jayne Stevens, Director, Utah Lions Eye Bank, without whose help this study would not have been possible. The authors have no financial or proprietary interest in any of the instruments or substances mentioned in this report. © Williams & Wilkins 1990. All Rights Reserved....