Introduction: The production of ultrasonic energy during phacoemulsification is associated with heat generation that could damage ocular tissues, particularly at the corneoscleral wound site. Case presentation: This study presents an 89-year-old patient with senile hypermature cataract and Fuchs endothelial dystrophy developing severe thermal corneoscleral injury during phacoemulsification. At presentation, visual acuity was finger count at 40 cm and there was a 1 × 2-mm area of corneal melting at the corneal tunnel with diffuse corneal oedema. After 1 month, a temporal circular corneal patch graft was applied to the corneal burn. A penetrating keratoplasty was performed 16 months after the first surgery. Conclusion: Corneal surgery, including lamellar patch grafts and full-thickness penetrating grafts, could be used, when necessary, to restore the cornea's integrity. These procedures could eliminate corneal scarring, decrease astigmatism, and improve vision in patients with phacoemulsification burns.

Phacoemulsification Wound Burn and Its Management

Giglio, Rosa;Vinciguerra, Alex Lucia
;
Inferrera, Leandro;Tognetto, Daniele
2024-01-01

Abstract

Introduction: The production of ultrasonic energy during phacoemulsification is associated with heat generation that could damage ocular tissues, particularly at the corneoscleral wound site. Case presentation: This study presents an 89-year-old patient with senile hypermature cataract and Fuchs endothelial dystrophy developing severe thermal corneoscleral injury during phacoemulsification. At presentation, visual acuity was finger count at 40 cm and there was a 1 × 2-mm area of corneal melting at the corneal tunnel with diffuse corneal oedema. After 1 month, a temporal circular corneal patch graft was applied to the corneal burn. A penetrating keratoplasty was performed 16 months after the first surgery. Conclusion: Corneal surgery, including lamellar patch grafts and full-thickness penetrating grafts, could be used, when necessary, to restore the cornea's integrity. These procedures could eliminate corneal scarring, decrease astigmatism, and improve vision in patients with phacoemulsification burns.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Phacoemulsification Wound Burn and Its Management .pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Documento in Versione Editoriale
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 408.87 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
408.87 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/3073642
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 0
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 0
social impact