Combinative approach of transzonular triamcinolone-moxifloxacin and perioperative drops to minimize postoperative complications of cataract surgery.

Abstract

To investigate the effectiveness of combination therapy with transzonular triamcinolone-moxifloxacin and conventional perioperative drops in reducing postoperative complications of cataract surgery. Electronic medical records of cataract surgery patients (single surgeon) were reviewed from January 2018 to September 2021. The rate of postoperative complications including prolonged and/or recurrent postoperative inflammation, endophthalmitis, cystoid macular edema (CME), and intraocular pressure (IOP) was compared between the patients receiving combinative therapy and patients receiving drops only. Totally 596 patients and 1057 eyes (Combinative-Therapy group 493 and Drop-Only group 564) were included in this study. Using combination therapy reduced the relative risk of postoperative inflammation by 26.9% (16.6% Combinative-Therapy vs 22.7% Drop-Only, P=0.013). The incidence of endophthalmitis was 0 in Combinative-Therapy group vs 0.5% in Drop-Only group (relative risk reduction 100%), although not statistically significant (P=0.10). The incidence of severe IOP spikes was not significantly different between Combinative-Therapy (2.4%) and Drop-Only (1.6%) groups (P=0.33). The relative risk of postoperative CME was 51.4% less in three months follow up visit in Combinative-Therapy group, although not statistically significant (P=0.07). The visual outcome 1-month postop. (best corrected visual acuity) was significantly better in Combinative-Therapy (logMAR 0.10) compared to Drop-Only (logMAR 0.14) groups (P=0.02) while the baseline visual acuity was not significantly different. The combinative approach of transzonular triamcinolone-moxifloxacin plus perioperative eyedrops is an effective method to minimize postoperative inflammation, with better visual outcomes. It could potentially reduce the risk of postoperative endophthalmitis and CME (near-significant P-values; larger studies could analyze better considering low incidence).