Phacoemulsification technique doesn’t impact risk of retained lens fragments

Risk factors, such as increased age, shallow anterior chamber depth, and thick lens, may increase the risk of retained lens fragments after cataract extraction but phacoemulsification technique does not appear to increase the risk, according to a study.

Data from 24 patients who underwent cataract surgery and had retained lens fragments were analyzed. The mean age was 76 years ± 6.72 (60– 80) whereas the control group was 63 ± 11.41.

Most patients (n = 22) presented with inferiorly located fragments.

Statistically significant biometrics between the study and control groups included mean anterior chamber depth (3.1 mm ± 0.37 vs 3.33 mm ± 0.39, p = 0.01) and lens thickness (4.77 mm ± 0.44 vs 4.35 mm ± 0.44, p = < 0.001).

For surgeons, yearly incidence rates ranged from 0.00% to 0.85%; the average combined rate for all surgeons was 0.10%.

The mean number of days between extraction and fragment removal was 26 ± 40.

Reference

Moshirfar M, Lewis AL, Ellis JH, et al. Anterior chamber retained lens fragments after cataract surgery: A case series and narrative review. Clin Ophthalmol. 2021;15:2625-2633.