AIM: To present a different approach called dynamic stromal hydration. Though common, conventional hydration technique should be standardized to ascertain wound integrity at the time of stromal hydration during cataract surgery. No explicit criteria exist to suggest that hydration of wound edges is adequate.

METHODS: This study was designed as prospective, randomized, comparative study. Leakage sites were detected by continuous irrigation. At that point, stromal hydration was performed in consideration of the leakage points. The wound edges were hydrated until no further leakage could be visually detected. Trypan blue 0.0125% was applied over the wound sites, and each wound was individually observed for leakage. On the day after surgery, Seidel's test was performed to assess wound integrity.

RESULTS: All 120 eyes in the experimental group were evaluated, including all 360 wound sites-120 left side ports, 120 right side ports, and 120 main incisions-as were all 120 eyes in the control group. Though the dye test revealed leakage of aqueous humour from only 29 wound sites of 22 eyes(8.0% of 360 wounds)in the experimental group, leakage appeared in 41 wound sites of 30 eyes(11.3% of 360 wounds)in the control group. When groups were compared in terms of leakage, the difference was statistically different(P=0.042).

CONCLUSION: Dynamic stromal hydration-meaning standardized conventional stromal hydration-is a direct observational technique that allows the easy evaluation of wound integrity at the time of stromal hydration by way of observing wound dynamics.