title: Visualization of fluid turbulence and acoustic cavitation during phacoemulsification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a technique for visualizing fluid turbulence and cavitational energy created by ultrasonic phaco tips.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Eye Clinic of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Generation of cavitational energy by the phaco tip was visualized using an optical test bench comprising several components. The technique uses a telescope system to expand a laser light source into a coherent, collimated beam of light with a diameter of approximately 50.0 mm. The expanded laser beam shines on the test tube containing the tip activated in a medium of water or ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD). Two precision optical collimators complete the optical test bench and form the system used to focus data onto a charge-coupled device television camera connected to a recorder.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Images of irrigation, irrigation combined with aspiration, irrigation/aspiration, and phacosonication were obtained with the tip immersed in a tube containing water or OVD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Optical image processing enabled acoustic cavitation to be visualized during phacosonication. The system is a possible means of evaluating a single phaco apparatus power setting and comparing phaco machines and techniques.
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy. tognetto@univ.trieste.it
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tognetto
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanguinetti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sirotti
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brezar
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ravalico
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000162:Acoustics; D004322:Drainage; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry*; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011312:Pressure; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D014732:Vibration; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; C030660:BSS solution; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008903:Minerals; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid