Half-moon supracapsular nucleofractis phacoemulsification: safety, efficacy, and functionality.

PURPOSE

To compare the safety, efficacy, and functionality of half-moon supracapsular phacoemulsification, a variation of the nucleofractis technique, with those of the stop-and-chop technique.

SETTING

Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, 2nd Ophthalmology Department, Ankara, Turkey.

METHODS

This prospective randomized study comprised 100 eyes having phacoemulsification with the half-moon supracapsular (Group 1, 50 eyes) or stop-and-chop (Group 2, 50 eyes) technique. The half-moon supracapsular technique is based on hydrodissection-assisted partial prolapse of the nucleus. After the prolapsed nucleus is chopped horizontally and the first wedge removed, quadrant removal is performed endocapsularly. Follow-up examinations were at 1, 7, 30, and 90 days.

RESULTS

The 2 groups were similar in demographic features and surgical difficulty factors. There was no difference in the complication rate. The phaco time (mean: Group 1, 0.2 minutes +/- 0.1 (SD); Group 2, 0.4 +/- 0.4 minutes), average power (mean 11.3% +/- 6.9% and 18.3% +/- 7.3%, respectively), effective phaco time (1.7 +/- 1.8 seconds and 4.8 +/- 6.5 seconds, respectively), and total operation time (12.3 +/- 3.2 minutes and 14.3 +/- 4.3 minutes, respectively) were significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2. One day postoperatively, the increase in central corneal thickness increase was significantly greater in Group 1 (P = 0.011), with no significant differences thereafter. The visual acuity increase and contrast sensitivity scores at 90 days were similar in the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The half moon supracapsular technique shortened the phacoemulsification procedure and lowered phaco energy, indicating it protects surrounding intraocular tissue. There was no difference between techniques in reliability and functionality.