Abstract
Purpose: :
To analyse the outcomes of surgeries performed by senior residents in the learning curve related to intraoperative complications and staff interventions.
Methods: :
A prospective study of the phacoemulsification surgeries performed by senior residents (3rd year) in the first three months of experience with this technique at the HC FMUSP. The intraoperative complications and the necessity of staff interventions were measured.
Results: :
It was included 261 surgeries. There were 30 cases of intraoperative complications observed, a rate of 11.54%. Major complications, that could affect final results of the surgery, markedly posterior capsule rupture and vitreous loss, had a incidence rate of 8.05% and 6.13%, respectively. The surgery was converted to extracapsular extraction of the cataract in 3 cases and in 2 cases it was needed pars plana posterior vitrectomy. There was necessary staff doctor’s intervention in 11 cases (4.22%), most of them in the first 40 surgeries
Conclusions: :
With proper training and supervision, senior residents can achieve an acceptable rate of complication. Adequate supervision is essential to guarantee the surgeries results, specially in the first 40 cases, that shows the greater complications rates.
Keywords: cataract • treatment outcomes of cataract surgery • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications