Comparison of Influences on the Cornea by the Longitudinal Phacoemulsification Between the Sovereign(R) and Infiniti(R)

PURPOSE: To compare the influences on the corneal endothelium and surgically induced astigmatism following cataract surgery performed with Sovereign(R) and Infiniti(R) using the longitudinal phacoemulsification through the clear corneal incision. METHODS: Patients were operated on with the Sovereign(R) (n=46) and Infiniti(R) (n=45) programmed with the same parameters. Corneal thickness, endothelial cell count, effective phaco time and average phaco power were measured. Surgically induced astigmatism was calculated by keratometric readings. RESULTS: The change in corneal thickness at 1 day and endothelial cell count at 1 month postoperatively was significantly lower in the Infiniti(R) group. However, there were no significant differences in the change in corneal thickness and endothelial cell count at 2 months postoperatively. Surgically induced astigmatism in the 2 groups was consistently similar. Effective phaco time and average phaco power were lower in the Sovereign(R) group. CONCLUSIONS: Using the longitudinal phacoemulsification, early postoperative change of corneal endothelium was lower in the Infiniti(R) group. However, the efficacy of phacoemulsification in the Sovereign(R) group was superior to the Infiniti(R) group.

The Comparison between Torsional and Conventional Mode Phacoemulsification in Moderate and Hard Cataracts

PURPOSE: To compare the intraoperative performances and postoperative outcomes of cataract surgery performed with longitudinal phacoemulsification and torsional phacoemulsification in moderate and hard cataracts. METHODS: Of 85 patients who had senile cataracts, 102 eyes were operated on using the Infiniti Vision System. Preoperative examinations (slit lamp examination, mean central corneal thickness, and central endothelial cell counts) were performed for each patient. Cataracts were subdivided into moderate and hard, according to the Lens Opacities Classification System III grading of nucleus opalescence (NO). Eyes in each cataract group were randomly assigned to conventional and torsional phaco-mode. Intraoperative parameters, including ultrasound time (UST), cumulative dissipated energy (CDE), and the balanced salt solution plus (BSSP) volume utilized were evaluated. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was checked on postoperative day 30; mean central corneal thickness and central endothelial cell counts were investigated on postoperative days 7 and 30. RESULTS: Preoperative BCVA and mean grading of NO showed no difference in both groups. Preoperative endothelial cell count and central corneal thickness also showed no significant difference in both groups. In the moderate cataract group, the CDE, UST, and BSSP volume were significantly lower in the torsional mode than the longitudinal mode, but they did not show any difference in the hard cataract group. Torsional group showed less endothelial cell loss and central corneal thickening at postoperative day seven in moderate cataracts but showed no significant differences, as compared with the longitudinal group, by postoperative day 30. CONCLUSIONS: Torsional phacoemulsification showed superior efficiency for moderate cataracts, as compared with longitudinal phacoemulsification, in the early postoperative stage.