P 231 Comparison of descements membrane damage following phacoemulsification using corneal valve incisions with 2 MM corneal or sclerocorneal tunnels

COMPARISON OF DESCBMET’S MEMBRANE DAMAGE FOLLOWING PHACOEMULSIFICATION USING CORNEAL VALVE INCISIONS WITH 2 MM CORNEAL OR SCLEROCORNEAL TUNNELS. TOULEMONT PJ’ , SERDAREVIC ON2, GROSS1 D3. ‘Dep. of Ophthalmol., Rennes I University (Fr.). 2Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, New York (USA) 3 Dep. of Ophthalmol., Rosario (Argentina) Puroose; We CO”lgJWC. Descemet’s membrane damage following phacoemulsification performed through 2 m m cornea1 or sclerocor”eal tunnels. Methods: 46 (23 pairs) fresh eye bank globes were assigned to incision groups: cornea1 tunnel or sclerocor”eal tunnel with cornea1 valve incision created by 3.2 m diamond blade Following capsulorrhexis and phacoemulsification with nuclear cracking, corneas with scleral rims were excised and stained with trypan blue and alizarin red. Surface areas of Descemet’s detachement were quantified by planimetry. Results: Detachements of Decemet’s membrane around cornea1 valves were smaller after short cornea1 tunnels than after short sclerocor”etll tunnels (p<O,O5) with no difference between keratome and platypus blades No detachement were seen after any type of incision when no further surgery was performed after incision creation. ~‘onclusioq Although diamond blade cornea1 valve incisions don’t damage Descemet’s membrane, detachements occur from instrument manipulation and irrigation after cornea1 valve creation. Short cornea1 tunnels result in better access with less Descemet’s membrane damage.