Comparison of Femtolaser-Assisted Cataract Surgery and Conventional Phacoemulsification
Narrative Responses:
Purpose
To compare cataract procedures after femtolaser assisted cataract surgery vs conventional, both using same 1.8mm coaxial microincision surgery
Methods
Forty patients were included in two groups. Group A with femtosecond laser assisted incision, capsulotomy, lens fragmentation and cataract removal. Group B undergoing conventional microincision surgery . All patients were operated by the same surgeon, using the same phacosystem and technique, and with the same selected single use instruments. Peroperative measures were recorded: time to open incisions, time to perform capsulorhexis or remove capsulotomy, time to remove lens material and cortex, effective phacoemulsification time (EPT), average phacopower (%), balanced salt solution volume used (ml), maximum level vacuum needed(mmHg)
Results
According to preliminary results the femtosecond laser platform led to a faster and safer cataract removal, shortening the duration of several surgical steps, reducing EPT, decreasing the average phaco energy during lens fragmentation and preserving corneal structures
Conclusion
Femtolaser assisted cataract surgery demonstrates its effectiveness with clear benefits for patients and surgeons, and appeared particularly suited to microincisions 1.8mm.
The vacuum appears as a new standard, being an excellent alternative to the ultrasonic phacopower in femtolaser assisted cataract surgery.