COMPARISON OF NUCLEAR CLEAVAGE TIME USING CONVENTIONAL AND CALIBRATED PHACOTIPS DURING COAXIAL MICROINCISIONAL CATARACT SURGERY

Swetank Shekhar; Praveen Malik; Taru Dewan

Volume : IX, Issue : V, May - 2020

COMPARISON OF NUCLEAR CLEAVAGE TIME USING CONVENTIONAL AND CALIBRATED PHACOTIPS DURING COAXIAL MICROINCISIONAL CATARACT SURGERY

Swetank Shekhar, Praveen Malik, Taru Dewan

Abstract :

Purpose: To compare the time taken to chop the nucleus completely using conventional and caliated phacotips Patients and methods: 60 patients with senile cataract with grade 4.0 to 6.9 (LOCS III) , fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study group after written informed consent. They were divided into two groups A and B, 30 patients each randomly using envelope method and were operated using conventional and caliated phacotips respectively and the time required to achieve complete nuclear chop was noted. Results: The mean nuclear cleavage time using conventional phacotip was 22.2±5.05 seconds while in the other group where caliated phacotip was used, the mean nuclear cleavage time was 15.47±5.84 seconds. (p < 0.0005) which was statistically significant. Conclusion: The observations shows that the average time taken to cleave the nucleus safely and effectively into two equal halves is less with a caliated phacotip as compared to a conventional phacotip. This is largely because the surgeon already knows preoperatively as to what depth the phacotip needs to be penetrated into the nucleus to perform the chop depending upon the grade of the cataract.