Anterior Segment Parameters Using Pentacam and Prediction of Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss after Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Purpose

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.

Methods

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).

Results

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).

Conclusions

Good agreement was found between all results obtained with the Pentacam and conventional methods except LT. Analyzing anterior chamber parameters preoperatively using Pentacam could be helpful to predict postoperative endothelial cell loss.