Intracapsular dexamethasone implant in patients undergoing phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation

Purpose: To relate the outcomes of 7 eyes of 7 patients in which a dexamethasone 0.7 mg implant (Ozurdex (R)) was placed inside the capsule bag after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and compare with the fellow eyes, that were operated by the same technique and received dexamethasone eyedrops in the post-operatory. Methods: Report review of 7 eyes of 7 patients who received dexamethasone 0.7 mg implant after phacoemulsification and IOL, comparing them to the fellow eyes. All the patients underwent bilateral cataract surgery, with one month interval, by the same technique and by experienced surgeons, without complications. Post operatory medication consisted of moxifloxacin eye drops for all the 14 eyes and topic dexamethasone for the 7 eyes that did not received the implant. Results: Nuclear cataract classification (according to LOCS III) was 3.28 +/- 0.69 in the implant eye group and 3.14 +/- 0.83 in the fellow eye group. Postoperative best spectacle correct visual acuity (BSCVA) was 0.85 +/- 0.12 and 0.87 +/- 0.13, respectively in the implant and fellow eye groups. The intraocular pressure remained stable and similar to the pre-operative measurements. Anterior chamber reaction and cornea edema were similar in both groups in the follow-up. Two of the four no sutured pellet migrated to the anterior chamber during the first post-operative week and had to be repositioned. Another no sutured pellet dislocated and remained partially inside the capsule bag. The 3 patients with IOL haptic-sutured pellet had no complications. Conclusions: In the present study, dexamethasone 0.7mg implant were effective in controlling the inflammation after phacoemulsification and IOL implantation, with no significant side effects.