Abstract
Purpose :
Recently, much attention has been focused on the novel 27-gauge(G) instrument system for microincision vitrectomy surgery(MIVS) ,however,concern persists amongst vitreoretinal surgeons regarding the reduced flow rates during vitreous removal of a 27-G system compared to a 25-G system.The purpose of this present study was to compare porcine vitreous flow rates between the TDC cutter® (DORC) and UltraVit® vitrectomy probes(Alcon).
Methods :
Porcine virtrous flow rates were measured and compared betweenthe TDC cutter® with the ACCURUS® Vision System(Alcon) connected by Ultra Speed Transfer®(DORC) and the UltraVit® with the CONSTELLATION® Vision System(Alcon). We operated by 25-G and 27-G cutters with cut rates of 5000 and 6000 and cuts per minute(cpm). Vacuum pressures were set at the maximum amount in each system; i.e., ACCURUS®;600mmHg;CONSTELLATION®;650mmHg.
Results :
In 25-G cutters operated at 5000 cpm, the average flow rate of the TDC cutter® was 3.2ml/minute, while that of the UltraVit® was 1.9ml/minute. In 27-G cutters operated at 5000 cpm, the average flow rate of the TDC cutter® was 1.8ml/minute, while that of the UltraVit® was 1.3ml/minute. In 25-G cutters operated at 6000 cpm, the average flow rate of the TDC cutter® was 3.6ml/minute, while that of the UltraVit® was 2.1ml/minute. In 27-G cutters, the average flow rate of the TDC cutter® was1.9ml/minute, while that of the UltraVit® was 1.2ml/minute.
Conclusions :
When using the same gauge cutter, the TDC cutter® produced higher average flow rates than the UltraVit®. It is widely known that the duty cycle of the TDC cutter® is higher than that of the UltraVit®, and this contributes to the high performance of the TDC cutter®. In this study, the 27-G TDC cutter® flow rate was equivalent to the 25-G UltraVit® flow rate. Use of the TDC cutter® can contribute to greater efficiency when performing 27-G vitrectomy.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.