title: Performance analysis of ultrahigh-speed vitreous cutter system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate flow rates and duty cycle for different sizes of ultra-high-speed pneumatic vitreous cutters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A precision balance measured the mass of water and vitreous removed from a vial. Porcine vitreous was obtained within 12 hours of killed at a local slaughterhouse and kept at 4 °C. Twenty-, 23- and 25-gauge (n = 3 of each gauge) pneumatic cutters were tested at 0 (water), 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, and 5,000 cuts per minute with aspiration levels of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 mmHg. Frame-by-frame analysis of high-speed video was used to determine the duty cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Larger gauge cutters associated with higher aspiration levels produced greater vitreous and water flow rates (P < 0.05). As the cut rate increased, the vitreous flow rate increased (maximum flow at 5,000 cuts per minute) and the water flow rate decreased (P < 0.05). The duty cycle of the new-generation cutters decreased as cut speeds increased, using all 3 gauges (P < 0.001). Vitreous flow rates averaged 10 times less than water flow rates using the same cutter at the same settings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultra-high-speed vitreous cutters produce consistent vitreous and water flow rates across the tested range of cuts per minute and aspiration levels.
authors: Eye Concepts, Doheny Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. rribeiro@doheny.org
authors: Ramiro M
authors: RM
authors: Ribeiro
authors: Anderson G
authors: AG
authors: Teixeira
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Diniz
authors: Rodrigo B
authors: RB
authors: Fernandes
authors: Yuxiang
authors: Y
authors: Zhong
authors: Ralph
authors: R
authors: Kerns
authors: Mark S
authors: MS
authors: Humayun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D011312:Pressure; D013552:Swine; D014741:Video Recording; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000601:surgery*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water