Evaluation of in situ fracture versus phaco chop techniques

Abstract

PURPOSE: To quantify and compare the phaco time required using in situ nucleofracture and phaco chop techniques. SETTING: Center for Research on Ocular Therapeutics and Biodevices and Miyake Laboratory, Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA. METHODS: Thirty human eyes obtained postmortem were randomly divided into 2 groups of 15 eyes each. In situ nucleofracture or phaco chop was performed in each group. The phaco time required for each technique was determined. RESULTS: The mean phaco time was 0.91 minutes +/- 0.37 (SD) for the phaco chop and 1.56 +/- 0.89 minutes for the in situ fracture technique (P < .015). CONCLUSIONS: The phaco chop technique reduced phaco time and total phaco power consumed during phacoemulsification without imposing a risk of intraoperative complications.