The effect of increasing power when grooving using phacoemulsification.

Abstract

PurposeTo determine optimal power settings on the Centurion Vision System during the grooving step in cataract surgery.MethodsIntact porcine lenses hardened by formalin and placed in a chamber designed to simulate the anterior chamber of the eye were used to test longitudinal power at 40%, 70%, and 100% and torsional power at 0%. Flow rate was set at 40 mL/min. Vacuum was set at 400 mmHg, intraocular pressure was set at 50 mmHg, and a balanced phacoemulsification tip with a 20 degree tip and a 30 degree bevel was used. Efficiency (time to groove the lens in half) was determined.ResultsIncreasing longitudinal power from 40% to 70% increased efficiency by 28% (P<0.05), and by 32% (P<0.05) when increasing longitudinal power from 40% to 100%. There was no statistically significant increase in efficiency from 70% to 100%.ConclusionFor the tested variables, a longitudinal power of 70% was determined to be most efficient during the grooving step of cataract surgery for equivalent 3–4+ nuclei. Further increases in power demonstrated no statistically significant improvement in efficiency.