Effect of gauge thickness on wound-width measurements in microincision cataract surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of gauge thickness on wound-width measurement values in microincision cataract surgery (MICS).


METHODS
Kosei Chuo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.


METHODS
For intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, the incision was enlarged with 1 of 2 knives of different widths. Before and after IOL insertion, the wound width was measured with a 0.15 mm thick gauge (F-gauge), which was the same thickness as both types of knife, and a commercially available 0.35 mm thick gauge (A-gauge).


RESULTS
In the 2.2 mm incision group, the mean wound width before IOL insertion was 2.20 mm+/-0.03 (SD) measured with the F-gauge and 2.16+/-0.05 mm measured with the A-gauge; the difference was statistically significant (P=.002). The mean wound width after IOL insertion was 2.41+/-0.08 mm using the F-gauge and 2.35+/-0.09 mm using the A-gauge; the difference was statistically significant (P<.0001). In the 2.4 mm incision group, the mean wound width before IOL insertion was 2.39+/-0.04 mm using the F-gauge and 2.31+/-0.06 mm using the A-gauge (P<.0001); the mean wound width after IOL insertion was greater than 2.5 mm in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In MICS, when the wound-width gauge thickness exceeded the knife thickness, the potential for measurement errors increased. Thus, a similar thickness between the 2 instruments may be preferable.
Kimura
Keisuke
K
Kosei Chuo Hospital, Meguro, and the Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. k-kimura770128@m5.gyao.ne.jp
Tanaka
Takao
T
Koshika
Satomi
S
Usui
Masahiko
M
D065306:Corneal Injuries; D006801:Humans; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014945:Wound Healing; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000473:pathology*