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High fluidic parameters associated with higher intraoperative IOP
High fluidic parameters such as high aspiration flow rate and bottle height led to higher IOP fluctuations during phacoemulsification, according to a 7-month study at the Iladevi Cataract and IOL Research Center.
Eighty eyes of 80 patients with age-related cataract were included in the prospective, randomized study, during which all patients underwent microcoaxial phacoemulsification. Forty eyes were randomly assigned to a group with low parameters (aspiration flow rate of 20 cc/min, bottle height of 70 cm to 90 cm, vacuum settings up to 400 mm Hg) and 40 eyes were assigned to a group with high parameters (aspiration flow rate of 40 cc/min, bottle height of 90 cm to 110 cm, vacuum settings up to 400 mm Hg).
The researchers compared mean maximum and minimum IOP and percentage reduction in IOP from maximum between the groups, as well as the rate of change in central corneal thickness and anterior chamber inflammation at postoperative days 1 and 7.
Minimum IOP was 35 mm Hg and 34.5 mm Hg for the low- and high-parameter groups and maximum IOP was 69 mm Hg and 85 mm Hg for the low- and high-parameter groups. The mean percent reduction from maximum IOP was statistically significant, at 59% in the high-parameter group vs. 41% in the low-parameter group, according to the researchers.
Whereas the rate of change in central corneal thickness was significantly greater in the high-parameter group on days 1 and 7, anterior chamber inflammation and corneal clarity were significantly better in the low-parameter group, the researchers found.
Factors that influenced the IOP level in the eye were bottle height, preset vacuum, aspiration flow rate, tubing compliance, ocular rigidity, size of phacoemulsification and tightness of the incision, according to the researchers.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.