Back to Freepaper Session

Evaluating different laser fragmentation patterns used in laser cataract surgeries in terms of the effective phacoemulsification time and power

Session Details

Session Title: Femto-cataract

Session Date/Time: Monday 07/10/2013 | 08:00-10:00

Paper Time: 08:56

Venue: Forum (Ground Floor)

First Author: : M.Mita JAPAN

Co Author(s): :    M. Tomita              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To compare the effects of different fragmentation patterns for the lens nucleus in terms of the effective phacoemulsification time (EPT) and power in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery.

Setting:

Shinagawa LASIK Center, Tokyo, Japan.

Methods:

We conducted a prospective, IRB approved evaluation of cataract surgery using the Catalys™ Precision Laser System femtosecond laser (OptiMedica, California USA). Seventy one eyes of 64 patients underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery using the Catalys™ system. The Catalys™ system was used for capsulotomy and lens fragmentation. For lens fragmentation, either the quadrants softened (Quadrant) or the quadrants complete (Complete) pattern was used. Thirty seven eyes of 33 patients were treated with the Quadrant pattern and 34 eyes of 33 patients with the Complete pattern (two patients had both patterns used, one on each eye). After phacoemulsification was performed with the Alcon INFINITI® Vision System (Alcon, Fort Worth, TX), the mean EPT and phaco power for each cutting pattern were evaluated. A single surgeon performed all of the procedures.

Results:

The mean EPT was 29.47 seconds in the Quadrant group and 16.31 seconds in the Complete group (P<0.05). The mean phaco power (in percentage terms) was 8.07% in the Quadrant group and 4.77% in the Complete group (P<0.05). Using the Complete pattern, there was a 44.7% reduction in EPT and a 40.9% reduction in phaco power when compared to the Quadrant group. In all cases using either pattern, the cataracts were removed effectively and without complication.

Conclusions:

By using the smaller fragmentation pattern (Complete) with the Catalys™ femtosecond laser in cataract surgery, the phacoemulsification time and power were reduced significantly when compared to the procedure with the larger fragmentation pattern (Quadrant).

Financial Interest:

NONE