Surgical outcome of coaxial phacoemulsification with torsional ultrasound after a 2.4 mm versus 3.2 mm clear corneal temporal incision.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate and compare outcomes of phacoemulsification surgery with purely torsional ultrasound in coaxial small incision procedures.

Methods: This study was a prospective observational series of 50 eyes of 50 patients with age-related cataracts. There were two groups each with 25 eyes. Group 1 eyes were treated with microcoaxial phacoemulsification using a 2.4 mm temporal clear corneal incision; group 2 eyes were treated with phacoemulsification using a 3.2 mm temporal clear corneal incision. Both groups underwent a standardised surgical procedure using purely torsional ultrasound. Outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity, percentage increase in postoperative corneal thickness, and surgically-induced astigmatism assessed at day 1, week 1, month 1 and month 3 postoperatively.

Results: Both groups were comparable with respect to age, cataract grading and intraoperative parameters such as cumulative dissipated energy and irrigation volume. The only statistically significant outcome difference was surgically induced astigmatism at postoperative day 1 (higher in group 2). Intraoperative and early postoperative complications were similar in both groups.

Conclusions: Coaxial phacoemulsification with purely torsional ultrasound produced satisfactory results for 2.4 mm and 3.2 mm incisions. There were no differences in outcomes between groups.