Safety and efficacy of gas-forced infusion (air pump) in coaxial phacoemulsification.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of gas-forced infusion (air pump) in uncomplicated coaxial phacoemulsification.


METHODS
Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital, Chennai, India.


METHODS
Comparative case series.


METHODS
Specular microscopy and optical coherence tomography were used to analyze the endothelium, central macular thickness (CMT), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness before and approximately 1, 7, 30, and 90 days after coaxial phacoemulsification with (infusion group) or without (control group) gas-forced infusion. Surgical time, surge, phaco energy, irrigation fluid volume, surgical ease, complications, and visual gain in the 2 groups were compared.


RESULTS
The mean endothelial cell loss was lower in the infusion group than in the control group (6.98% ± 8.46% [SD] versus 10.54% ± 11.24%; P = .045) and the irrigation/aspiration time significantly shorter (54 ± 39 seconds versus 105 ± 84 seconds; P = .0001). The surgery was rated as easier with gas-forced infusion (scale 1 to 10: mean 8.3 ± 2.1 versus 6.6 ± 1.6; P = .00002). However, the amount of irrigating fluid volume was higher in the infusion group (117 ± 37 mL versus 94 ± 41 mL; P = .003). No surge occurred in the infusion group; it occurred a mean of 3.00 ± 4.16 times in the control group (P<.0001). The rate of visual gain, CMT, peripapillary RNFL thickness, phaco time, and amount of phaco energy were comparable in the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Gas-forced infusion was safe and effective in controlling surge and increased the safety, ease, and speed of coaxial phacoemulsification.
Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital and Eye Research Center, Chennai, India.
Prashaant
P
Chaudhry
Gaurav
G
Prakash
Soosan
S
Jacob
Smita
S
Narasimhan
Sunita
S
Agarwal
Amar
A
Agarwal
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology