Three ways to clean up the posterior capsule

Session Details

Session Title: PCO. Cataract Surgery Complications/Management

Session Date/Time: Tuesday 08/09/2015 | 08:00-10:30

Paper Time: 09:12

Venue: Room 1

First Author: : T.Akahoshi JAPAN

Co Author(s): :                        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To develop a simple device and easy technique to clean up the posterior capsule safely during the cataract surgery.

Setting:

Mitsui Memorial Hospital, Japan

Methods:

Three types of cleaning devices were developed. (1) Ball I/A tip: curved and bent I/A tips with a ball shaped head. As the aspiration port is drilled 45 degrees to the main shaft, the posterior capsule can be safely vacuumed by its smooth head. The tip head was finished either by mirror polished or sandblasted. (2) Sandblast sleeve: nano sleeve with fine sandblasted finish in the area 2.0mm from the tip. (3) Capsule cleaning cannula: Two types of cannulae were made. G27 bent hydrodissection cannula with sandblasted surface. Ring shaped G27 cannula with three irrigation holes on its side.

Results:

In most of the cases, cortical material attached to the posterior capsule could be removed with the ball I/A tip at a vacuum mode. As the tip head is spherical, polishing procedure could be performed safely and efficiently. The sandblasted sleeve was also useful to polish the posterior capsule. As the sleeve is made of silicone, there was no case of rupturing the capsule during the procedure. The cleaning cannulae were used by connecting either with irrigation tube or 2.5ml syringe filled with BSS. Fine cortical fibers attached on the capsule was easily washed out without stressing the ciliary zonule.

Conclusions:

Removal of the cortical fibers firmly attached on the posterior capsule was sometimes difficult by the conventional I/A devices. By the new I/A tips and sandblasted sleeve, the posterior capsule can be cleaned up easily. In cases with weakened ciliary zonule such as pseudoexfoliation syndrome or cases with large capsular bag, aspiration of the capsule may stress and damage the ciliary zonule. In such cases, rapid irrigation through the cleaning cannulae is extremely safe and efficient to remove the fine cortical fibers. With these new devices and new cleaning techniques, we can get cleaner posterior capsule quite easily and safely.

Financial Interest:

NONE