Phacoemulsifier, IOL allow safe 1.8-mm incision coaxial surgery

HANOI, Vietnam — The new Stellaris phacoemulsification system, used with the Akreos MI60 IOL, will allow surgeons to make an "easy" transition to cataract surgery performed through a 1.8-mm incision, according to a surgeon speaking here.

Paul Ursell, MD, shared his early experience using the Stellaris (Bausch & Lomb) phaco system at the Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting. "The main advantage of this system is that you can now perform coaxial 1.8-mm surgery," he said.

Dr. Ursell said he had been disappointed with bimanual microincision surgery and had been waiting to perform small-incision coaxial surgery.

"I personally have found converting from coaxial 2.5-mm surgery to bimanual 1.4-mm surgery to be extremely challenging," he said. "I find the surgical technique makes it difficult to maintain the anterior chamber, the wounds are much more difficult to seal afterwards and there are concerns about endophthalmitis."

Dr. Ursell described the first of 10 surgeries he performed with the Stellaris system through a 1.8-mm incision. "As you will agree, this is standard cataract surgery and most of us ... could perform this," he said. "I found it [to be] a straightforward transition. And in many respects, it's very similar to regular cataract surgery."