Comparison of the effect of torsional and transversal phacoemulsification modes on corneal endothelial health.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of torsional and transverse phacoemulsification modes on corneal endothelial health. Material and Methods: Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients who were operated for cataracts were randomized into two groups. 27 patients in the first group were operated in the torsional phacoemulsification mode, and 22 patients in the second group were operated using the transversal mode. Preoperative, postoperative first day and postoperative first month; endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation (CV), hexagonality (HEX) and central corneal thickness (CCT) were analyzed. Results: The mean age was 67.89 ± 9.98 years in the first group and 66.77 ± 10.78 years in the second group. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of mean age and ultrasound power (p=0.71 and p=0.26). While CCT increased significantly on the postoperative first day in both groups (p=0.001 and p=0.002), it returned to baseline at the postoperative first month. Although ECD decreased significantly at postoperative first month in both study groups (p=0.001 and p=0.005), it was above 1400 cells/µ2 in all cases. When the ECD, CV, 6A and CCT measurements performed before the operation, on the postoperative first day and at the postoperative first month were compared between the groups, it was observed that there was no significant difference. Conclusion: It was evaluated that phaco surgery performed with both modes is safe in terms of corneal thickness and endothelial health. However, it should be considered that phaco surgery slightly reduces the endothelial number and endothelial health should be evaluated before surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]