Histopathologic findings in a transsclerally sutured posterior chamber intraocular lens

J Cataract Refract Surg. 2001 Nov;27(11):1884-8. doi: 10.1016/s0886-3350(01)00880-x.

Abstract

A 77-year-old woman had penetrating keratoplasty (PKP), removal of an anterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL), and implantation of a transsclerally sutured posterior chamber IOL for painful pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Postoperatively, preexisting anterior synechias led to painful secondary angle-closure glaucoma and the eye was enucleated 8 months after the PKP. Light microscopy of the eye revealed that the haptics of the IOL were surrounded by a variably dense fibrous membrane consisting of connective tissue and fibroblasts. In some areas, the haptics had eroded into the superficial stroma of the ciliary body. Except for rare foreign-body giant cells, no inflammatory cells were present near the haptics. This case illustrates that haptics of transsclerally sutured posterior chamber IOLs may be stabilized by fibrous membranes and/or by erosion into the ciliary body relatively soon after implantation. This should be considered if surgical centration, removal, or exchange of such a lens is planned.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anterior Chamber / surgery
  • Device Removal
  • Eye / pathology*
  • Eye Enucleation
  • Female
  • Glaucoma, Angle-Closure / surgery
  • Humans
  • Keratoplasty, Penetrating
  • Lens Implantation, Intraocular / methods*
  • Lenses, Intraocular*
  • Sclera / surgery*
  • Suture Techniques*