title: Crater-and-chop technique for phacoemulsification of hard cataracts.
abstract: We describe a technique of in-the-bag phacoemulsification of large, hard, leathery brown nuclear cataracts. A large crater approximately 6.0 mm diameter is created by down-slope sculpting up to 90% of nuclear thickness, leaving the outer nuclear rim intact. The edge of the crater is held with the phaco probe using high vacuum, and small wedge-shaped pieces are created with a chopper. These small pieces are emulsified in the space created by the crater. This technique permits in-the-bag phacoemulsification of large brown cataracts without complications.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute for Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vanathi
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Vajpayee
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Titiyal
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*