A descriptive study of correlation between micro-coaxial phacoemulsification parameters and post-operative endothelial cell loss in noncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery

To study effect of micro-coaxial phacoemulsification on endothelial cell count in noncomplicated cataract surgery. This was a prospective study, conducted on 150 eyes of cataract patients who underwent microcoaxial phacoemulsification. Clear corneal phacoemulsification was performed using Ozil torsional Technique. Phacoemulsification parameters after cataract surgery as well as pre and post-op endothelial cell count was recorded. The study included 150 cases of senile cataract with mean age of 64.5 years, 52% being male and 48% being females. Endothelial cell loss of 65-1675 cells/mm with (P < 0.001) was noted, which was of high statistical significance. The postoperative EC Loss% ranged from 3.63% to 16.42% with a median of 10.24% (4.32% to 14.67%). A significant +ve correlation (p<0.001) was found between the EC Loss% and different phacoemulsification parameters including CDE, tortional time and volume. Also, EC Loss% was significantly correlated with the grade of nuclear sclerosis (P = 0.045). : Higher grades of cataracts require more phacoemulsification power resulting in increased CDE and EC Loss. Increased aspiration time and the use of excessive amounts of irrigating fluid during phacoemulsification also ends with increased endothelial cell damage.