Efficiency of venturi vs peristaltic-based phacoemulsification in femtosecond laser cataract surgery

Abstract

Purpose:To compare the efficiency of peristaltic vs venturi vacuum platforms when applied to femtosecond-treated cataract.Setting:Outpatient Eye Center, Mercy Health System, Springfield, Missouri.Design:This is a prospective randomized controlled trial of 111 patients with moderate nuclear sclerosis scheduled for bilateral routine laser cataract surgery (LCS) (ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT03970525).Methods:Patients were randomized to receive surgery in 1 eye with a peristaltic system and the other with a venturi system. The vacuum and phacoemulsification power were the same for both systems. The primary outcomes were phacoemulsification energy (EFX), ultrasound time (UST), phacoemulsification in/out time (PIOT), surgery time (speculum in/out time), and endothelial cell count (ECC).Results:The type of vacuum/phacoemulsification system used during LCS had a significant impact on the 4 procedural outcomes. Specifically, EFX, UST, PIOT, and total microscope time (speculum in/out case time) were lower when the venturi system was used compared with the peristaltic system (t(100) = -4.28, P <.001). The vacuum system used did not affect the uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, or central cornea thickness. ECC decreased by 6.38% with venturi and 8.32% with peristaltic (t(87) = 1.19, P =.235). There were no complications.Conclusions:Venturi-based phacoemulsification was more efficient than peristaltic, based on energy and time, when used for removal of femtosecond-treated cataract.

Department(s)

School of Health Care Professions

Document Type

Article

DOI

10.1097/j.jcrs.0000000000001618

Publication Date

5-1-2025

Journal Title

Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

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