Laboratory study of occlusion break surge volumes in two generations of phacoemulsification/aspiration systems

Session Details

Session Title: Cataract Surgery Equipment/Instrumentation/Surgical Devices I

Session Date/Time: Monday 12/09/2016 | 14:00-15:30

Paper Time: 14:00

Venue: Hall C5

First Author: : A.Thorne USA

Co Author(s): :    D. Dyk   K. Miller                 

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the percentage aqueous volume loss associated with occlusion break from two generations of Alcon phacoemulsifiers under varying vacuum limits and target intraocular pressures

Setting:

Laboratory Study

Methods:

A test apparatus with a piston controlled by three springs calibrated to mimic the compliance of the normal human eye was used to model the anterior chamber. The Alcon Infiniti and Centurion systems were tested at vacuum limits of 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600mmHg and target intraocular pressures of 30, 55, and 80mmHg. The percentage aqueous loss was calculated with each occlusion break.

Results:

Occlusion break surge volumes varied from 15.7μl (Centurion, intraocular pressure: 80mmHg, vacuum limit: 200mmHg) to 154μl (Infiniti, intraocular pressure: 30mmHg, vacuum limit: 600mmHg), corresponding to 6% and 60% of the aqueous volume of a normal phakic eye respectively. These volumes are large enough to potentially collapse the anterior chamber of an eye at the lower boundary of normal volumes. The volume of the occlusion break surge decreased with each increase in target intraocular pressure, decrease in vacuum limit, and with the newer generation phacoemulsifier.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that occlusion break surge volumes can vary greatly and that chamber collapse is likely under certain conditions. This study also demonstrates the use of a novel apparatus for measuring a volumetric occlusion break surge response

Financial Disclosure:

... is employed by a for-profit company with an interest in the subject of the presentation, ... research is funded, fully or partially, by a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented