Postoperative sterile endophthalmitis (TASS) associated with the MemoryLens

Purpose: To report 10 cases of delayed-onset acute intraocular inflammation following cataract extraction and posterior chamber implantation of the me moryLens(R) intraocular lens (IOL). Setting: John A. Moran Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 10 cases of postoperative infla mmation that occurred after cataract extraction with placement of the poste rior chamber Memory Lens IOL. Protocols of the intermountain Ocular Researc h Center used to analyze outbreaks of unexplained postoperative inflammatio n as well as medical records were reviewed. Results: Nine patients had uneventful cataract extraction and 1 had a small anterior capsule tear with placement of the MemoryLens IOL. All 10 patient s presented with increased anterior segment inflammation a mean of 7.8 days (range 1 to 21 days) after surgery. Three cases were tapped and were cultu re negative, and 7 were presumed noninfectious. The anterior segment inflam mation improved in all patients. Treatment of the 7 patients included inten sive topical steroids. careful analysis of the inflammation has not reveale d an obvious etiology; however, the MemoryLens was associated with all the cases. Conclusions: We postulate that these cases of noninfectious postoperative e ndophthalmitis may be associated with the MemoryLens. J Cataract Refract Su rg 2000; 26:1773-1777 (C) 2000 ASCRS and ESCRS.