Corneal endothelial cell loss in eyes undergoing lensectomy with and without anterior lens capsule removal combined with pars plana vitrectomy and gas tamponade

Purpose: To assess prospectively the corneal endothelial damage associated with pars plana vitrectomy combined with lensectomy and gas tamponade. Methods: The corneal endothelium was examined with a specular microscope pr eoperatively and 6 months postoperatively in 42 eyes that underwent pars pl ana vitrectomy combined with total lensectomy and gas tamponade with SF6 (1 9 eyes) or C3F8 (23 eyes), and in 12 control eyes that underwent vitrectomy combined with anterior capsule-preserved lensectomy and gas tamponade. Results: The mean +/- SD endothelial cell loss was 17.19 +/- 7.88% in the S F6 tamponade group, 21.54 +/- 10.57% in the C3F8 tamponade group, and 3.49 +/- 2.68% in the control group. Significant differences were found in the m ean cell loss among these three groups. The degree of cell loss was signifi cantly related to gas tamponade duration in the eyes with total lensectomy. Conclusion: These results suggest that ophthalmic surgeons must try to pres erve the lens capsule as much as possible in vitrectomy combined with lense ctomy and long-acting gas tamponade in order to prevent corneal endothelial damage.