Phacoemulsification Without Hydro-procedure: A Novel Technique to Deal with Posterior Polar Cataracts.

Abstract

Purpose: To describe a new phacoemulsification technique without hydro-procedures in patients of posterior polar cataract (PPC) and determine the posterior capsular rate (PCR) and postoperative outcomes.Methods: After capsulorhexis, we insert the phacoemulsification probe inside the eye and shave the cortex and epinucleus within the capsulorhexis area. Then the phaco probe is buried deep into the center, and an anteroposterior crack is fashioned. Then the probe is placed at 7’ o clock to chop away a triangular piece of the nucleus. A similar maneuver is done at a 4' o clock position to take out another piece. The phacoemulsification tip and the chopper are now positioned at the cracked site of the lower fragments. Using the 2 instruments, the fragments are now pushed away and easily emulsified.Results: We conducted a retrospective study with 115 eyes of 77 patients. The mean age of the study population was 51.87 + 14.19 years (range 22-87 years). Out of 77 patients, 39 (50.64%) patients had unilateral PPC, and 38 (49.35%) had bilateral PPC. PCR occurred in 9 eyes (7.82%). Two patients had fragment drop, and only 1 (0.87%) patient was left aphakic. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at postoperative day 30 was 20/20 or better in 102 (88.69%) eyes, 20/32-20/80 was in 11(9.56%) eyes, and BCVA 20/80-20/200 was in 2 (1.73%) eyes.Conclusion: Phacoemulsification without hydro-procedure is a novel technique that can be successfully implemented in PPC cases and expect an excellent visual outcome.