Learning curve of femtosecond laser cataract surgery: the FEMCAT study

Session Details

Session Title: Cataract Surgery Outcomes / Femto

Session Date/Time: Monday 15/09/2014 | 08:00-10:30

Paper Time: 08:42

Venue: Auditorium

First Author: : C.Schweitzer FRANCE

Co Author(s): :    N. Hayes   A. Brezin   B. Cochener   P. Denis   P. Pisella   A. Benard

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To analyze learning curve of femtosecond laser cataract surgery in the FEMCAT (impact Médico-Economique de la chirurgie de la CAtaracte au laser Femtoseconde) study.

Setting:

University hospital of Bordeaux (France).

Methods:

The FEMCAT study is a prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial aiming to analyze cost-effectiveness of Femtosecond laser cataract surgery (FCS) and to compare clinical and visual outcomes of FCS and phacoemulsification cataract surgery (PCS). Capsulotomy, phacofragmentation and corneal incisions were performed using Catalys® (Optimedica, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). We retrospectively analyzed first patients undergoing a cataract surgery before the beginning of the study and randomization. Visual acuity and refractive errors were analyzed at one month and we recorded intraoperative and postoperative complications at Day 3 and 1 month.

Results:

24 eyes of 24 patients were included. The mean age was 71.41+/-10.41 year-old and the mean preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.45+/-0.58 LogMAR. During laser procedure, we observed a free-floating anterior capsule in all cases without any tears or tags of the anterior or posterior capsule. 16.6% (n=4) of laser corneal incisions were incomplete and required a manual incision using a blade. 3 days postoperatively, one patient experienced residual lens cortex material in the anterior chamber requiring an aspiration. At one month, BCVA was 0.03+/-0.01 LogMAR and mean residual spherical equivalent was 0.01+/-0.01 diopters. We did not observe any severe intraoperative or postoperative complications.

Conclusions:

FCS seems to be a safe and reproducible procedure with a short learning curve and low postoperative refractive error. Although corneal incisions may be incomplete and require a longer training to find the right location on clear periphery of the corneal, FCS allowed a free-floating capsulotomy and a complete phacofragmentation. A randomized case-control study is needed to analyze the potential reproducibility and benefit of FCS over PCS.

Financial Interest:

NONE