ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To demonstrate the influence of the surgeon's and the operating room (OR) technicians' experience upon the outcome of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study included 250 eyes from 156 patients who had undergone either cataract surgery or clear-crystalline-lens extraction and where capsulorhexis and lens fragmentation had been performed using the CATALYS® Precision System femtosecond platform (Abbott Medical Optics Inc., Santa Ana, CA, USA).The patients were operated either by an experienced surgeon in the use of femtosecond laser or by an inexperienced surgeon in that field and two technicians. The quantitative outcome measures were: Suction loss rate, vacuum time, number of consumables used by the patient and intraoperative complication rate. RESULTS: Both for the experienced and the inexperienced surgeons, suction loss rates as well as vacuum time decreased progressively as time went by and more surgical procedures had been completed by that surgeon. For a given surgeon suction time decreased significantly, going from 137 to 99s, as the assisting technician gradually gained experience. The number of consumables used in each procedure by the experienced surgeon ranged from 1.10 (for the first 50 cases) to 1.02 from those initial cases onwards. Regarding intraoperative complications, they also decreased progressively as the number of procedures completed by the surgeon increased. CONCLUSIONS: The experience of each team member involved in such procedures-be it surgeons or technicians-have an impact, to a greater or lesser extent, upon the surgery's outcome, as quantified by the outcome variables of choice
OBJETIVO: Demostrar la influencia de la experiencia del cirujano y los técnicos de quirófano en los resultados de la cirugía de cataratas asistida por láser de femtosegundo (FLACS). MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Nuestro estudio incluyó 250 ojos de 156 pacientes sometidos a cirugía de cataratas o extracción de cristalino transparente, en las que la capsulorrexis y la fragmentación de lente se habían realizado utilizando la plataforma de femtosegundo CATALYS(R) Precision System (Abbott Medical Optics Inc., Santa Ana, CA, EEUU). Los pacientes fueron operados, bien por un cirujano con experiencia en el uso del láser de femtosegundo, o bien por un cirujano sin experiencia en dicho campo, y dos técnicos. Las medidas del resultado cuantitativo fueron: tasa de pérdida de succión, tiempo de vacío, número de consumibles utilizados por el paciente, y tasa de complicación intraoperatoria. RESULTADOS: Tanto para cirujanos expertos como inexpertos, las tasas de pérdida de succión, así como el tiempo de vacío disminuyeron progresivamente a medida que transcurría el tiempo, y que se incrementaba el número de intervenciones quirúrgicas completadas por el cirujano. Para un cirujano dado, el tiempo de succión disminuyó significativamente, pasando de 137 a 99 segundos, a medida que el técnico asistente ganaba experiencia gradualmente. El número de consumibles utilizados en cada procedimiento por un cirujano experto oscilaba entre 1,10 (para los primeros 50 casos) y 1,02 desde los casos iniciales en adelante. En cuanto a complicaciones intraoperatorias, también disminuyeron progresivamente a medida que aumentaba el número de intervenciones completadas por el cirujano. CONCLUSIONES: La experiencia de cada miembro del equipo involucrado en dichos procedimientos-bien fueran cirujanos o técnicos-tiene un impacto, en mayor o menor medida, sobre el resultado de la cirugía, según lo cuantificado por las variables de elección del resultado
Subject(s)
Humans , Cataract Extraction/education , Clinical Competence , Learning Curve , Surgeons/education , Health Personnel/education , Laser Therapy , Prospective Studies , Ophthalmologists/education , Cataract Extraction/methodsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To demonstrate the influence of the surgeon's and the operating room (OR) technicians' experience upon the outcome of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study included 250 eyes from 156 patients who had undergone either cataract surgery or clear-crystalline-lens extraction and where capsulorhexis and lens fragmentation had been performed using the CATALYS® Precision System femtosecond platform (Abbott Medical Optics Inc., Santa Ana, CA, USA).The patients were operated either by an experienced surgeon in the use of femtosecond laser or by an inexperienced surgeon in that field and two technicians. The quantitative outcome measures were: Suction loss rate, vacuum time, number of consumables used by the patient and intraoperative complication rate. RESULTS: Both for the experienced and the inexperienced surgeons, suction loss rates as well as vacuum time decreased progressively as time went by and more surgical procedures had been completed by that surgeon. For a given surgeon suction time decreased significantly, going from 137 to 99s, as the assisting technician gradually gained experience. The number of consumables used in each procedure by the experienced surgeon ranged from 1.10 (for the first 50 cases) to 1.02 from those initial cases onwards. Regarding intraoperative complications, they also decreased progressively as the number of procedures completed by the surgeon increased. CONCLUSIONS: The experience of each team member involved in such procedures-be it surgeons or technicians-have an impact, to a greater or lesser extent, upon the surgery's outcome, as quantified by the outcome variables of choice.
