Simultaneous surgery for bilateral pediatric cataracts.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

To perform a review of the literature comparing the safety of bilateral simultaneous lensectomies in children versus the risk of more than one general anesthesia within a short time frame, and to study the results of bilateral surgery in a small group of patients.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Bilateral simultaneous lensectomies were performed in 9 children (18 eyes), in whom increased anesthetic risks warranted this approach.

RESULTS

There were no postoperative complications for at least 6 months.

CONCLUSION

Data in the current literature on endophthalmitis after cataract surgery and on the risks of repetitive anesthesia are inadequate to weigh the risk of bilateral endophthalmitis against the reduced risk of one anesthesia versus two and the advantages of simultaneous early visual rehabilitation. Until such information becomes available, simultaneous removal of bilateral infantile cataracts should probably be reserved for selected cases where the anesthetic risk is higher than average.