Immediate postoperative complications in type 2 diabetic patients undergoing phacochop cataract surgery

Abstract

Objective: Describe the possible presence of postoperative complications in type 2 diabetic patients undergoing phaco chop cataract surgery.

Methods: An observational prospective longitudinal descriptive study was conducted of 128 diabetic patients (168 eyes) undergoing cataract surgery at the Center for Ocular Microsurgery of Ramón Pando Ferrer Cuban Institute of Ophthalmology from September 2017 to December 2018. The clinical and epidemiological variables analyzed were age, sex, skin color, keratometry, chamber depth, axial length, crystalline hardness, pre- and postoperative intraocular pressure, and postoperative complications in the first 72 hours.

Results: A predominance was found of women (63.3%) of white skin color (74.2%) and biometrically normal eyes, with a statistically significant difference. Intraocular pressure rose 24 hours after surgery. Mean age and standard deviation were 69.49 ± 8.96 years, range of 50-88 years, in the 128 type 2 diabetic patients undergoing senile cataract surgery by the phaco chop technique.

Conclusions: The most common postoperative complications are corneal edema and uveitis. It is significantly more probable to find postsurgical uveitis in patients aged under 70 years and corneal edema in patients aged over 70 years.

Key words: Type 2 diabetics; cataract surgery; phaco chop; postoperative complications.