Anterior Chamber Shallowing from the Early Stage of Surgery and Suprachoroidal Effusion during Clear Corneal Small-Incision Cataract Surgery: A Case Report

Suprachoroidal effusion (SCE) is a rarely observed complication due to the recent generalization of clear corneal small-incision cataract surgery. We report a case of anterior chamber shallowing (ACS) from the early stage of surgery and SCE during clear corneal small-incision cataract surgery. A 69-year-old man was referred to our department for primary open-angle glaucoma and grade 2 nuclear cataract. The intraocular pressure (IOP) was 18 and 12 mm Hg in the right and left eyes with the instillation of three antiglaucoma eye drops in both eyes, respectively, and deep anterior chamber and normal axial length were observed. At the age of 70 years, which was 4 months after the initial visit to our department, the IOP of the right eye increased to 30 mm Hg. Hence, cataract surgery and microhook ab interno trabeculotomy (μLOT) of the right eye were scheduled. Mild ACS was observed during continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC), and ACS worsened as the surgery progressed, making the surgery progressively challenging. SCE was observed by fundus examination after phacoemulsification and cortex removal, and the wound was immediately closed with a suture. The IOP was 28 mm Hg on postoperative day (POD) 1 and decreased to 14 mm Hg on POD 5. SCE disappeared on POD 12. On POD 18, intraocular lens implantation into the bag and μLOT were performed under general anesthesia. Subsequently, the IOP decreased to 15 mm Hg 3 months after the surgery. Mild ACS was already present at the time of CCC, so it is possible that SCE occurred in the early stage of surgery. If ACS is observed intraoperatively, especially if there are SCE risk factors, such as hypertension, glaucoma, and lung cancer, as in this case, and even if the eye has deep anterior chamber and normal axial length preoperatively, fundoscopic examination should be performed even at an early stage of clear corneal small-incision cataract surgery to rule out SCE.