Morphometric Analysis of Corneal Endothelium in the Intercapsular Cataract Extraction with Posterior Chamber Lens Implantation

Baik, Jong Min; Kim, Ki San; Oh, Joon Sup

Abstract

To compare corneal endothelial damage in intercapsular cataract extraction with post erior chamber lens implantation (Intercapsular P-ECCE+PCL) to that in conventional extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber lens implantation (P-ECCE+PCL), and to detect the most appropriate index for comparision of the endothelial damage, the author has measured morphologic characteristics of corneal endothelium in 20 cases of intercapsu1ar P-ECCE+PCL (Group 1), and 21 cases of P-ECCE+PCL (Group 2) preoperatively and one week after surgery. Morphometric data (density, area, coefficient of variation, perimeter, shape factor, hexagonality, lengths) were obtained by contact type specular microscope, computer assisted digitizer and image analysis program. The mean endothelial cell loss one week after surgery was 10.82% in group 1, and 20.22% in group 2 respectively. The mean hexagonality loss one week after surgery was 28.05% in group 1, and 38.84% in group 2 (p<0.05). The mean coefficient of variation (CV) loss at postoperative one week was 30.68% in group 1, and 38.84% in group 2. As a whole, group 1 showed less reduction of endothelial damage compared to group 2 but no statiscally significant changes were noted except hexagonality. Therefore, the corneal endothelium was less damaged after intercapsular P-ECCE+PCL than after P-ECCE+PCL, and the adequate index for comparision of endothelial damage are CV and hexagonality as well as cell density, among which hexagonalty is the most important parameter.