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Purpose: To evaluate the ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) findings in pseudophakic eyes with chronic noninfectious postoperative inflammation and discuss the use of the technique in these cases.

Setting: Uveitis Service, Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.

Methods: Fifty-four eyes of 51 patients with chronic noninfectious postoperative inflammation were prospectively evaluated between January 1998 and September 2001. Patients with aphakia, a dislocated intraocular lens (IOL) in the posterior segment, and endophthalmitis were excluded. All patients had a UBM examination that comprised locating the IOL position, investigating the presence of lens remnants, and evaluating the anterior segment of the eye.

Results: Ultrasound biomicroscopic examination revealed IOL misplacement in 37 eyes (68.5%). Of these, 23 (62.2%) had a sulcus-implanted posterior chamber IOL (PC IOL), 9 (24.3%) an in-the-bag PC IOL, and 5 (13.5%) an anterior chamber IOL. Haptic misplacement was significantly higher with sulcus-implanted PC IOLs than with in-the-bag PC IOLs (P<.01). Other UBM findings included edematous ciliary body processes and hypoechogenic and/or thickened ciliary bodies in 11 eyes (20.4%), peripheral anterior synechias in 8 eyes (14.8%), a significant number of lens remnants (graded as severe) in 6 eyes (11.1%), a thick cyclitic membrane in 3 eyes (5.6%), and an early cyclitic membrane in 2 eyes (3.7%).

Conclusions: Irritation of ocular tissues by an IOL was the main cause of chronic postoperative noninfectious inflammation in pseudophakic eyes. Therefore, detecting the IOL position and its relationships to ocular tissues is very important in planning the treatment. Ultrasound biomicroscopy is a practical method that accurately provides this information.