RADIOFREQUENCY DIATHERMY CAPSULORHEXIS OF THE ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR CAPSULES IN PEDIATRIC CATARACT-SURGERY - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of radiofrequency diathermy capsu lorhexis in preventing opacification of the posterior capsule in pedia tric cataract extraction. Setting. The Children's Hospital, Dublin, Ir eland. Methods: Radiofrequency diathermy capsulorhexis to the anterior capsule followed by injection of sodium hyaluronate behind the poster ior capsule and primary posterior capsule diathermy capsulorhexis were performed in 14 eyes of 7 children requiring cataract surgery. Result s: Six patients had bilateral congenital and 1 patient bilateral devel opmental cataracts. Ten eyes (5 patients) received heparin-surface-mod ified intraocular lenses, and 4 eyes (2 patients) were left aphakic. T here were no intraoperative complications, and only mild anterior segm ent inflammation was noted postoperatively. Conclusion: With follow-up from 7 to 16 months (mean 12.1 months), our results showed no epithel ial regrowth or opacification of the posterior capsule following diath ermy capsulorhexis.