Visual results and complications of temporal incision phacoemulsification performed with the non-dominant left hand by junior ophthalmologists.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the results of temporal incision phacoemulsification and aspiration performed with dominant and non-dominant hand of ophthalmology trainees.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis were made of 203 surgeries with dominant hand and 207 with non-dominant by five trainees at two institutions. Trainees sat at the patient's head, manipulating instruments with the dominant right hand for the right eye, and the non-dominant left hand for the left eye.


RESULTS
Vitreous loss occurred in 12 (5.9%) of 203 dominant operated eyes and seven (3.4%) of 207 non-dominant operated eyes. The rate of endothelial cell loss was 6.1% (9.8%) in dominant and 7.4% (12.4%) in non-dominant. Mean ultrasound time were 1.81 (0.70) minutes in dominant and 1.78 (0.78) minutes in non-dominant. One trainee showed statistically significant excesses in incidence of vitreous loss in dominant operated eyes (8.7%, p=0.0270), and one showed statistically significant prolongation of the operation in nondominant operated eyes (26.3 minutes, p=0.0315). In all other trainees, all parameters had no difference in both sides.


CONCLUSIONS
Ophthalmology trainees could successfully learn the technique with both hands. The authors consider that the skill of the non-dominant hand may be knowledge based and that surgeons avoid mistakes by mental efforts.
Kageyama
T
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Showa University School of Medicine, Fujigaoka Hospital, 1-30 Fujigaoka, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, 227-8501, Japan.
Yaguchi
S
S
Metori
Y
Y
Chida
M
M
Koizumi
K
K
Onishi
T
T
Ayaki
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education*; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies