Effect of heparin sodium on postoperative inflammation after adult cataract surgery

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of use of ringer lactate solution supplemented with heparin sodium in patients undergoing cataract surgery.In a prospective, double-blind, interventional study, 200 patients were included and were randomized to undergo cataract surgery using ringer lactate solution with or without 10 IU/ml heparin. All patients underwent phacoemulsification with hydrophobic acrylic foldable intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. The severity of anterior chamber inflammation and amount of pigment deposition of IOL was assessed by slit lamp biomicroscopy on day 1, 7, 28 and after 8 weeks postoperatively. Mean age in treatment and control group was 63.0± 11.5 years and 65.1±12.7 years respectively. A significant reduction in the severity of inflammatory cellular activity (p=0.001), flare (p=0.001) and pigment deposition on IOL (p=0.001) was noted on day 1 in the heparin treated group compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was observed in the amount of inflammatory activity as well as IOL pigment deposition beyond 1 week postoperatively. The inflammatory activity resolved almost completely in both the groups by the end of 8 weeks postoperatively. : Our study showed the beneficial effect of addition of heparin to irrigating solution during cataract surgery. Heparin treated eyes demonstrated a reduction in the early postoperative inflammation and IOL pigment deposition. The anti-inflammatory effect was observed in the early postoperative period.