The cold eye irrigation BSS solution used during phacoemulsification reduces post-surgery patients discomfort preventing the inflammation. Issue 2 (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meduri, Alessandro; Bergandi, Loredana; Oliverio, Giovanni William; Rechichi, Miguel; Acri, Giuseppe; Perroni, Pietro; Silvagno, Francesca; Aragona, Pasquale
• Is Part Of: European journal of ophthalmology. Volume 32:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 911
• Page End: 917
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: Phacoemulsification -- cold irrigation balanced salt solution -- anterior chamber flare -- pain -- conjunctival hyperemia; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; Eye -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 617.7005
• DOI: 10.1177/11206721211018377
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1120-6721

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess whether the intraoperative use of the cold eye irrigation balanced salt solution (BSS) could have a protective effect in preventing the anterior chamber flare and conjunctival hyperemia and, thus, in reducing patients discomfort after phacoemulsification. Materials and methods: About 214 patients were enrolled and randomly divided into: patients whose eye were irrigated with BSS at ~ 20°C (Group 1) and patients whose eye were irrigated with BSS at 2.7°C (Group 2). Anterior chamber flare, visual analogue score and conjunctival hyperemia were evaluated at 1, 3, 5, and 30 days after surgery. Results: In patients of Group 2 the anterior chamber flare, the visual analogue score and the conjunctival hyperemia, used as parameters to evaluated clinical inflammation, at 1 day after surgery were significantly lower than those in Group 1 who received BSS solution at operating room temperature ( p < 0.001), while at day 3, 5, and 30 there were not any significant differences. Conclusion: Our study provided evidence supporting the efficacy of the treatment with cold irrigation solution on reduction of anterior chamber flare, pain and conjunctival hyperemia already at 1 day after phacoemulsification, suggesting that cooling procedure was fully effective at controlling early post-operative inflammation.