PURPOSE: To assess the risks of intra- and postoperative bleeding tendency associated with uncomplicated cataract surgery by phacoemulsification in patients receiving Coumadin treatment. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional, consecutive case series. METHODS: Sixty-three consecutive patients underwent cataract extraction with lens implantation in 75 eyes. All patients were receiving Coumadin therapy at the time of surgery, and nine patients (14.3%) were also taking antiaggregants. The operations were performed by phacoemulsification technique under topical anesthesia. All patients underwent a hemostatic work-up before intervention. Structured questionnaires were completed by the surgeon immediately after the operation. In 18 (24%) eyes, the surgery was videotaped, and the tapes were reviewed subsequently for any bleedings by an independent observer. RESULTS: Twelve patients (19%) underwent surgery in both eyes, not simultaneously. The mean prothrombin time international normalized ratio (INR) was 2.03 at the time of the surgery. No significant intraoperative bleeding occurred. Four (6.3%) patients had minor postoperative ocular bleeding. A microscopic hyphema and a dot retinal hemorrhage were each seen in one eye on the first postoperative day, and small iris hemorrhages were identified in two additional eyes at the one-week visit. All bleedings disappeared within one week without affecting the visual acuity. The mean INR of the four patients with minor bleedings was 2.1. CONCLUSIONS: Cataract surgery by phacoemulsification in uncomplicated eyes can be performed safely in patients receiving Coumadin treatment. However, a large clinical trial is required to assess the safety of continuous Coumadin treatment associated with phacoemulsification in eyes with complicated cataract.
PURPOSE: To assess the risks of intra- and postoperative bleeding tendency associated with uncomplicated cataract surgery by phacoemulsification in patients receiving Coumadin treatment. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional, consecutive case series. METHODS: Sixty-three consecutive patients underwent cataract extraction with lens implantation in 75 eyes. All patients were receiving Coumadin therapy at the time of surgery, and nine patients (14.3%) were also taking antiaggregants. The operations were performed by phacoemulsification technique under topical anesthesia. All patients underwent a hemostatic work-up before intervention. Structured questionnaires were completed by the surgeon immediately after the operation. In 18 (24%) eyes, the surgery was videotaped, and the tapes were reviewed subsequently for any bleedings by an independent observer. RESULTS: Twelve patients (19%) underwent surgery in both eyes, not simultaneously. The mean prothrombin time international normalized ratio (INR) was 2.03 at the time of the surgery. No significant intraoperative bleeding occurred. Four (6.3%) patients had minor postoperative ocular bleeding. A microscopic hyphema and a dot retinal hemorrhage were each seen in one eye on the first postoperative day, and small iris hemorrhages were identified in two additional eyes at the one-week visit. All bleedings disappeared within one week without affecting the visual acuity. The mean INR of the four patients with minor bleedings was 2.1. CONCLUSIONS:Cataract surgery by phacoemulsification in uncomplicated eyes can be performed safely in patients receiving Coumadin treatment. However, a large clinical trial is required to assess the safety of continuous Coumadin treatment associated with phacoemulsification in eyes with complicated cataract.
Authors: James D Douketis; Alex C Spyropoulos; Frederick A Spencer; Michael Mayr; Amir K Jaffer; Mark H Eckman; Andrew S Dunn; Regina Kunz Journal: Chest Date: 2012-02 Impact factor: 9.410