Phaco one-chop nucleotomy

Abstract

 

Phaco one-chop, a hybrid of the phaco-chop, stop-and-chop, and phaco-flip techniques, has 3 main phaco phases: embedding the phaco tip and chopping, flipping the right heminucleus without nucleus rotation, and evacuating the remaining left heminucleus in the bag. Of 198 eyes evaluated, 86% had a Lens Opacities Classification System III cataract grade of 3 to 6. The mean equivalent phaco time (EPT) was 1.9 seconds; for the densest cataracts, the highest phaco power needed was 5.3%. The mean overall power was 2.1%. Thus, the phaco one-chop method requires less EPT and phaco power and allows greater surgeon control for efficiency and predictability than the techniques from which it was derived.