Potential use of thermoreversible hydrogel (poloxamer 407) to protect the corneal endothelium and the posterior capsule during phacoemulsification

We read with interest the experimental study on the effectiveness of thermoreversible (poloxamer) hydrogels as a substitute for ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVDs) during phacoemulsification in porcine and rabbit eyes by Choi et  al.1 A significant finding in their in vivo study of rabbits is that after exposure to 5 minutes of intermittent longitudinal ultrasound (US) energy with the bevel up toward the corneal endothelium, the dispersive OVD group had a significantly greater decrease in the endothelial cell count than the 26% poloxamer hydrogel group (mean loss 18.27% versus 5.27%).

Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery - February 28, 2019 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Virgilio Galvis, Alejandro Tello, N éstor I. Carreño, Rubén D. Berrospi, Camilo A. Niño Tags: Letter Source Type: research