Clinical application of 11-deoxycortisol in visualizing prolapsed vitreous body after posterior capsule rupture in cataract surgery

Purpose

To compare the temperature profiles of 3 popular phacoemulsification units (Alcon AdvanTec Legacy, Bausch & Lomb Millennium, and AMO Sovereign WhiteStar) under similar operating conditions in air.

Setting

Jules Stein Eye Institute and the Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Methods

Phacoemulsification probes from the 3 units were placed side-by-side in air and imaged in the infrared using an FLIR model P60 ThermaCAM. The highest temperature produced by each probe was measured 10 and 30 seconds after power application. Testing was performed under conditions that might produce a corneal burn. Irrigation flow was set at 1 cc/min to simulate a tight incision. Aspiration flow was set at 0 cc/min to simulate occlusion. Wound compression was simulated by suspending 22.6-gram weights from the silicone sleeves. The Alcon AdvanTec Legacy and Bausch & Lomb Millennium were operated in pulse mode at 15 Hertz; 50% duty cycle; and 10%, 30% and 50% power. The AMO Sovereign WhiteStar was operated in both C/F (56 Hz, 33% duty cycle) and C/L (33 Hz, 20% duty cycle) modes.

Results

The Millennium and the Sovereign generated higher temperatures than the Legacy with almost all experimental conditions (at 10%, 30%, and 50% powers; with and without sleeve compression; with manufacturers' and identical irrigating sleeves; and in continuous and pulse modes).

Conclusions

The Bausch & Lomb Millennium and the AMO Sovereign WhiteStar, operating in both pulse and continuous modes, generated higher peak temperatures than the Alcon AdvanTec Legacy with very controlled operating conditions in air and with a variety of power, load, and duty-cycle settings.