Comparıson of the effects of cold and room temperature irrigation on corneal parameters ın posterior vitrectomy

Purpose: To compare the postoperative effects of cold and operating-room temperature ringer lactate irrigation on corneal endothelial parameters in posterior vitrectomy. Methods: A total of 68 patients who underwent posterior vitrectomy were included in this prospective comparative study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups preoperatively. In Group 1; 36 patients were performed posterior vitrectomy with cold irrigation (+4 C°). In Group 2; 32 patients were performed posterior vitrectomy with operating room temperature irrigation (+25 C°). Patients were divided into subgroups according to lens status and according to their tamponade. Preoperative and postoperative central corneal thickness, endothelial cell density, mean cell area, variability coeffient, cell hexagonality parameters of groups were compared. Results: There was no statistically significant change in preoperative and postoperative corneal parameters in Group 1 and 2. (p>0,05) Subgroup analyzes showed that there was no significant change in the subgroups of Group 1 (p>0,05) but there was a statistically significant change in central corneal thickness, endothelial cell density, mean cell area and variability coeffient in the subgroup of Group 2 which included pseudophakic patients given with gas tamponade. (p=0.008,p=0,011,p=0,011,p=0,048) Conclusions: There was no statistical difference on corneal endothelial parameters in both groups. Subgroup analyzes showed that there was no statistical difference on Group 1 but Group 2 showed difference on corneal endothelial parameters in pseudophakic eyes were treated with gas tamponade, suggesting that using cold ringer lactate for pseudophakic patients may be protective for endothelial parameters. Key words: Irrigation temperature, corneal endothelial parameters, vitreoretinal surgery