Residual Iris Retraction Syndrome After Artificial Iris Implantation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of an artificial iris implant on the remnant iris. DESIGN: Interventional case series. METHODS: Setting: Single center. PATIENT POPULATION: Forty-two consecutive patients. OBSERVATION PROCEDURES: Morphologic evaluation over 24 ± 14 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Remnant pupillary aperture, iris color, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and endothelial cell count. RESULTS: In 7 of 42 cases (16.7%), the residual iris aperture dilated from 36.6 ± 15.4 mm2 preoperatively to 61.1 ± 12.5 mm2 1 year postoperatively (66.9% increase). In 5 of 7 affected eyes the artificial iris had been implanted into the ciliary sulcus; in 2 eyes it had been sutured to the sclera. Four of the 7 patients presented with remarkable complications: 2 eyes needed glaucoma shunt surgeries owing to pigment dispersion; 1 suffered from recurrent bleedings; and in 1 case artificial iris explantation was performed owing to chronic inflammation. Anterior chamber depth and angle, endothelial cell count, and visual acuity did not change in this cohort. Changes in color were not observed in the remnant iris. CONCLUSIONS: The implantation of an artificial iris prosthesis can lead to a residual iris retraction syndrome. It is likely that residual iris is trapped in the fissure between the artificial iris and the anterior chamber angle, preventing further pupil constriction. Another possibility could be a constriction or atrophy of the residual iris. A scleral-sutured implant and an implantation in the capsular bag were both found to prevent the iris retraction. The study group number is inadequate to allow statistical comparison of these different implantation methods. As the use of artificial irises increases, we may expect more patients with iris retraction syndrome in the future.

Challenges and Complication Management in Novel Artificial Iris Implantation.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of postoperative artificial iris prosthesis-related complications. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Fifty-one consecutive patients underwent pupillary reconstruction using an artificial iris implant made from silicone between 2011 and 2015. Quantity and quality of complications were subclassified into three groups including mild, moderate, and severe complications. Their management and the learning curve were evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 13 (25.5%) of 51 included artificial iris implantations showed unexpected events in various degrees: mild complications: recurrent bleeding (n=1, 2.0%), slight but stable iris deviation (n=1, 2.0%), capsular fibrosis (n=2, 3.9%); moderate complications: suture cutting through the residual iris (n=1, 2.0%), glaucoma (n=3, 5.9%), and corneal decompensation (n=3, 5.9%); severe complications: artificial iris suture loosening (n=2, 3.9%) and dislocation (n=3, 5.9%), synechiae (n=2, 3.9%), glaucoma (n=2, 3.9%), and corneal decompensation (n=5, 9.8%) with the need for surgery, cystoid macular edema (n=3, 5.9%) and retinal detachment (n=1, 2.0%). The complication rate decreased from 83.3% (5 of 6 implantations) in the first year to 13.3% (2 of 15 implantations) in the 4th year. Nineteen of 45 evaluated patients showed a significant gain in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from 1.09 ± 0.56 logMAR to 0.54 ± 0.48 logMAR (p < 0.001), and 13 of 45 eyes had a significant BCVA loss from 0.48 ± 0.39 logMAR to 0.93 ± 0.41 logMAR after surgery (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The artificial iris is a feasible option in the treatment of iris defects with a wide spectrum of postoperative complications. The significant reduction of complications after twelve implantations implicates that the procedure is not to be recommended in low volume settings.