Ipsilateral white cataract following percutaneous nephrolithotomy
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Abstract
Background: There is a rising concern over the increasing amount of radiation exposure
in patients undergoing diagnostic imaging and medical procedures. A case of rapid visual
deterioration following a percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has been described. The
aim of this paper is to report the formation of semi-acute white cataract following a PCNL
procedure.
Methods: Case Report
Results: A 57-year-old gentleman with underlying hypertension, gout and history of right
nephrolithiasis complained of rapid deterioration in his right eye (RE) vision for 3 months
duration. It was not associated with eye pain, redness, eye discharge or history of eye
trauma. He denied taking steroids or any over-the-counter medication. However, prior to
that he underwent a PCNL procedure for right nephrolithiasis. His visual acuity was 6/60
for the affected eye. Anterior segment examination reveals dense white cataract on the RE
which turned out to be dense cortical matter following phacoemulsifcation.
Conclusion: Although uncommon and not routinely discussed between surgeons and
patients, PCNL may cause a semi-acute cataract formation secondary to radiation associated with the procedure. In view of the increasing trend of radiation involved in the
management of nephrolithiasis, both surgeons and patients need to be made aware of this
complication and the possible ways to overcome it.
Conflicts of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.
Article Details
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