Tissue Plasminogen Activator in the Treatment of Fibrinous Membrane after Cataract Surgery

ABSTRACT

We injected tPA into the anterior chamber of 43 pesudophakic eyes with moderate to severe fibrinous membrane which had developed following cataract surgery from January, 1990 to August, 1990 at St. Mary's hospital. The results were as follows 1. Intraocular tPA injection was resulted in complete fibrinolysis within 1 hour in 38 of 43 eyes and patial fibrinolysis in 5 of 43. 2. No corneal endothelial cell loss was found, and tPA did not appear to cause a significant rise in intraocular pressure. 3. Complications of tPA injection included mild, transient, periocular pain(3 eyes), anterior chamber fibrin debris(2 eyes) and anterior chamber hemorrhage(1 eye). The results indicated that tPA is dramatically effective for the clearance of fibrinous membrane after cataract surgery.