Clinical study of anterior air for Descemet's membrane detachment during cataract surgery

Abstract

Objective To observe clinical effect of anterior air to treat Descemet's membrane detachment caused by Phacoemulsification cataract surgery.Methods Retrospective analysis of 23 patients who were performed anterior air for Descemet's membrane detachment during Phacoemulsification cataract surgery from May 2006 to March 2012.Three cases had greater than 1/2 of the comeal area of extensive Descemet's membrane detachment (contains missing part of the Descemet's membrane one case),6 cases had greater than 1/3 less than 1/2 of it (contains missing part of the Descemet's membrane one case),14 cases had less than 1/3 of it.All patients' anterior chamber was injected sterile air to reset detached Descemet's membrane in the end of surgery.If detached Descemet's membrane had not been reset,using the same methods.Results The air in the anterior chamber was absorbed in 3-5 days after surgery.Twenty patients' cornea became transparent after a single gas injection; corneal area of Descemet's membrane detachment was greater than 1/3 in other patients,two of them were after three gas injection,one of them was after one gas injection.Two patients' corneal Descemet's membrane recover slowly,at last became transparent until 2 months.Conclusions Anterior air can treat corneal Descemet's membrane detachment during cataract surgery.The method is simple.It can operate repeatedly.The treatment effect is exact. Key words: Cataract surgery; Descemet's membrane detachment; Anterior air