Posterior capsule rupture and vitreous loss during phacoemulsification with or without the use of an anterior chamber maintainer.

PURPOSE

To compare the incidence of posterior capsule rupture and vitreous loss during phacoemulsification with and without the use of an anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) SETTING: Aristotle University Eye Clinic, Thessaloniki, Greece.

METHODS

The surgical records of patients who had phacoemulsification by experienced surgeons over a 2-year period were reviewed. The cases were divided into 2 groups: surgery performed without the use of an ACM (no-ACM group) and surgery performed with the use of an ACM (ACM group).

RESULTS

The no-ACM group comprised 231 cases and the ACM group, 312 cases. Posterior capsule rupture occurred in 19 cases (8.22%) and 22 cases (7.05%), respectively. Of the patients with posterior capsule rupture, 6 (31.57%) in the no-ACM group and 16 (72.72%) in the ACM group had vitreous loss and required an anterior vitrectomy; the difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant (P =.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of an ACM in phacoemulsification provided a consistently deep anterior chamber and approximately the same rate of complications as with a standard technique in the hands of experienced surgeons. However, when posterior capsule rupture occurred, the incidence of vitreous loss was significantly higher in eyes with an ACM.