Postoperative complications of pediatric cataract surgery and their comparison between limbal and pars plana approaches: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: To compare the incidence rates of complications following pediatric cataract surgery between the limbal and pars plana approaches.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ClinicaITriaIs.gov were systematically searched for studies comparing the two surgical approaches. We pooled the incidence rates of postoperative complications using a random-effects model.

Results: Seven studies comprising 375 eyes from 260 patients were included. No significant differences in complication rates were observed between the limbal and pars plana approaches. The pooled incidence rates (95% confidence Interval) of postoperative visual axis opacity (VAO), VAO treated with laser or surgery, secondary glaucoma, wound leakage, corneal edema, anterior chamber reaction, posterior iris synechiae, capsular phimosis, intraocular lens dislocation, posterior capsular rupture, and intravitreal lens fragmentation were 4.7% (0.8%-10.8%), 3.9% (1.0%-8.1%) , 2.8% (0%-11.4%), 0 (0%-1.3%), 2.9% (0%-11.8%), 5.6% (0.1%-16.5%), 2.4% (0%-8.5%), 3.8% (0.6%-8.9%), 2.2% (0%-6.4%), 9.2% (4.1%-15.8%) and 1.3% (0%-6.3%), respectively. Both surgical approaches demonstrated improved visual acuity postoperatively.

Conclusions: Pediatric cataract surgery, performed via the limbal or pars plana approach, is effective and safe, with a low incidence of complications when conducted by trained surgeons. Neither method demonstrated a significant difference in the visual acuity improvement or complication rates.