Risk assessment of simple phacoemulsification in patients on combined anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy

Purpose: To assess the safety of phacoemulsification cataract extraction in patients on combined anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatment. Setting: Goldschleger Eye Institute, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. Design: Prospective interventional case series. Methods: Consecutive patients with simple cataract on combined anticoagulant (warfarin) and antiplatelet (aspirin or clopidogrel) treatment who were unable to discontinue the treatment because of a high risk for thromboembolic events were included. Patients had cataract extraction under topical anesthesia with a clear corneal incision (CCI), phacoemulsification, and implantation of a foldable posterior chamber intraocular lens. Prothrombin time-international normalized ratio and platelet functions were evaluated immediately before surgery. Patients were also examined 1 day and 7 days postoperatively. Intraoperative and postoperative ocular bleeding and other related complications were assessed. Results: Forty patients (51 eyes) with a mean age of 72 years (range 51 to 90 years) had phacoemulsification. Hemorrhagic complications were not observed at surgery or during the 1-week follow-up. Surgical complications included 1 rupture of the capsulorhexis and 1 implantation of a capsular tension ring due to partial zonulysis. No patient had a thromboembolic event. Conclusions: In patients with uncomplicated cataract at high risk for thromboembolic events, phacoemulsification cataract surgery using a CCI under topical needle-free anesthesia was safely performed without discontinuing systemic anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatment. Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.