Risk of Posterior Capsular Rupture during Phacoemulsification in Patients with the History of Anti-VEGF Intravitreal Injections: Results from the Pan-American Collaborative Retina Study (PACORES) Group.

PURPOSE: To assess the risk for capsular rupture during routine phacoemulsification in patients with a history of anti-VEGF injections and other possible risk modifiers such as treatment patterns, type of anti-VEGF agent, and experience of the surgeon, among others. METHODS: This study reviewed the medical records of 11,129 patients from 7 different hospitals in 5 countries. The study included 939 patients that underwent routine phacoemulsification and had a history of anti-VEGF therapy. We excluded patients with known risk factors for capsular rupture, as well as patients with a history of other retinal procedures. The study extracted data regarding general demographics, the number of previous injections, type of anti-VEGF agent, details of cataract surgery, and anti-VEGF treatment patterns. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of posterior capsular rupture: 7.45% (95% CI: 5.9-9.32%). The mean number of injections per patient was 3.37 ± 2.8. More than 50% of the patients received their last anti-VEGF injection within three months before cataract surgery. The complication rate during intravitreal injections was 1.07%. In the univariate analysis, the experience of the cataract surgeon (inexperience surgeons; OR: 2.93) and the history of prior anti-VEGF therapy (OR: 1.77) were significant risk indicators for PCR (p < 0.05). However, after controlling for age in the multivariate analysis, the trend did not reach a statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The risk for capsular rupture is higher in patients with a history of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections.

Full- versus partial-thickness sutures: experimental models of corneal injury repair.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the performance of full-thickness (FT) versus partial-thickness (PT) sutures in a full-thickness corneal wound in an animal model. METHODS: This is a prospective, experimental, comparative, longitudinal study. A 6-mm linear, full-thickness corneal incision was performed on the right eye of eight domestic pigs. Eyes were randomly assigned for repair with interrupted PT (80-90% depth) sutures or FT 10-0 nylon sutures. Anterior segment OCT, corneal pachymetry and clinical photographs were obtained 1, 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively. Corneal thickness, depth of suture placement, perilesional edema, coaptation of wound edges and complications were noted. Histopathologic examination was performed at 8 weeks. RESULTS: 100% of the eyes with FT sutures developed a linear, less opaque scar. 100% of the eyes with PT developed a dense, opaque stromal scar (p = 0.02). Vascularization of the cornea was present in 75% of PT group and 25% in the FT group (p = 0.50). As the corneas healed, there was a marked trend toward thicker corneas in the PT group versus FT group with a median difference of - 63 µm at week 1 [median 788 µm vs. 725 µm, (p = 0.11)], - 38 µm at week 4, (724 µm vs. 686 µm, (p = 0.63)) and - 47 µm median difference at week 8 with (670 µm vs. 623 µm, (p = 0.06)). Histopathology showed disorganization of the collagen fibers and the formation of a retrocorneal fibrous membrane in the PT group. CONCLUSIONS: The FT group presented less corneal edema at week 8 with a more linear and less opaque scar. Histopathology showed a better-organized scar and endothelialization without the formation of a fibrous membrane.