Phacoemulsification with transpupillary silicone oil removal and lens implantation through a corneal incision using topical anesthesia.

Purpose: To evaluate phacoemulsification combined with transpupillary silicone oil removal and foldable intraocular lens (IOL) implantation through a single corneal incision and planned posterior capsulorhexis after pars plana vitrectomy using topical anesthesia.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.

Methods: This noncomparative nonrandomized noncontrolled interventional case series comprised 34 consecutive patients (34 eyes). The mean age of the 25 men and 9 women was 54.4 years +/- 13.3 (SD). A mean of 8.2 +/- 9.4 months after silicone oil injection, patients had phacoemulsification with transpupillary silicone oil removal and foldable acrylic IOL implantation through a single corneal incision and a planned posterior capsulorhexis under topical anesthesia. Patients were operated on by the same surgeon. Visual acuity, the frequency of retinal redetachment, secondary cataract and vitreous hemorrhage formation, subjective pain and discomfort, the duration of surgery, and intraocular pressure (IOP) were noted. The mean follow-up was 9.4 +/- 5.1 months (range 4 to 21 months).

Results: Vision improved or stabilized in 88.2% of eyes. Retinal redetachment occurred in 4 eyes (11.8%) and transient vitreous hemorrhage in 1 (2.9%). All patients reported minimal discomfort during the procedure. The mean duration of surgery was 17 +/- 4 minutes. There was no significant intraoperative or postoperative IOP variation.

Conclusions: Combined phacoemulsification, transpupillary silicone oil removal, and IOL implantation through a single corneal incision under topical anesthesia was safe and effective. In general, the visual outcomes were good with improvement in visual acuity.