A potential role for inflammatory cytokines in a rare late-onset capsular block syndrome: a case report

Abstract

Abstract Background: late-onset capsule block syndrome (CBS) was a rare complication of cataract surgery and its pathogenesis was unclear. Case presentation: An analysis of a 64-year-old female with late-onset CBS was performed retrospectively. The depth of the anterior chamber (ACD), the distance between the face of the retro-implanted intraocular lens (IOL) and the posterior capsule (DRP), the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and the visual quality (VQ) were all measured both before and after surgery. Using a flow cytometer multiple array assay device, we assessed the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the opaque substances (OS) that were trapped between the posterior capsule and the retro-IOL surface and compared them to those in aqueous humor. The patient who underwent surgery experienced a considerable improvement in BCVA and VQ. DRP was on the verge of disappearing. However, ACD did not differ between pre-and post-operatively. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) concentrations were higher in the OS than in aqueous humor, especially in the former. Vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) concentration in the OS, however, was lower than in aqueous humor. Conclusions: Surgery was a successful treatment for a challenging late-onset CBS. A fresh, isolated microenvironment developed between the posterior capsule and the retro-IOL face. In the human lens, inflammatory cytokines from the OS might contribute to abnormal metabolism in the sealed area as a result of late-onset CBS.