Preoperative and Intraoperative Risk Factors for Short-Term Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss After Phacoemulsification in Dogs: A Comparative Study.

Shorter axial length and prolonged phacoemulsification time increase endothelial cell loss risk in canine cataract surgery.

This comparative study evaluated corneal endothelial cell changes following phacoemulsification in 24 dogs (33 eyes) with cataracts. Corneal endothelial cell density (CED) decreased significantly by 16% (from 2085 to 1741 cells/mm²) at one month post-operation, while central corneal thickness increased minimally by 2% without statistical significance. Preoperative measurements included age, axial length, anterior chamber depth, and lens thickness. Intraoperative parameters tracked phacoemulsification power, absolute phacoemulsification time (APT), and effective phacoemulsification time (EPT). Multivariate analysis identified shorter axial length and prolonged APT as independent predictors of endothelial cell loss, collectively explaining 35.6% of variation. Endothelial damage showed negative correlation with axial length and lens thickness, but positive correlation with both APT and EPT. Diabetic patients demonstrated significantly higher endothelial cell loss and prolonged operative times. These findings highlight important risk factors for endothelial cell damage in canine cataract surgery, with potential implications for surgical technique optimization and patient selection.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.