We evaluated various preoperative anterior segment parameters measured with a Pentacam rotating Scheimpflug camera and compared them with those of conventional methods. We also evaluated the effect of different parameters on corneal endothelial cells after cataract surgery.
Pentacam examination was performed in 88 eyes from 88 patients to evaluate central anterior chamber depth (ACD pentacam), nuclear density (Densitometry pentacam), anterior chamber volume (ACV), and lens thickness (LT pentacam). We compared values of ACD pentacam with those of ultrasound (ACD sono) and also compared Densitometry pentacam values with those of Lens Opacities Classification System (LOCS III) classification. We evaluated the effect of the following preoperative values measured with Pentacam on postoperative endothelial cell loss: pupil size measured both preoperatively and before capsulorrhexsis (Pupil CCC), amount of viscoelastics, and LT measured by ultrasound (LT sono).
A significant concordance was found between the two grading methods of nuclear opacity: Densitometry pentacam and LOCS III classification (τ b = 0.414, p = 0.000). We also found a positive correlation between ACD pentacam and ACD sono (r = 0.823, p = 0.000) and between ACD pentacam and ACV (r = 0.650, p = 0.000). There were significant differences between the results of LT pentacam and LT sono. The final regression model identified Densitometry pentacam, viscoelastics and Pupil CCC as independent predictors of decreased postoperative corneal endothelial cell density (CD) at postoperative day 3, and Densitometry pentacam, viscoelastics, and ACV as independent predictors of decreased CD two months postoperatively ( p<0.05).