[A preliminary report on bimanual microphacoemulsification].

Objective: To evaluate the surgical technique, feasibility, and outcome of bimanual microphacoemulsification.

Methods: The preliminary clinical study included 132 senile cataract eyes. A temporal clear cornea incision was made using 19G microvitreoretinal blade with the exterior incision length of 1.4 mm, the interior incision length of 1.2 mm, and the tunnel length of 1.0 mm. A 1.2 mm x 1.0 mm clear cornea side port was created with 19G microvitreoretinal blade at 12 o'clock in the right eye or 6 o'clock in the left eye. A sleeveless titanium phaco needle with an outer diameter of 0.9 mm was inserted through the temporal clear cornea incision. An irrigating chopper was inserted through the side port as the left-hand instrument, bimanual nucleofractis and nuclear emulsification were performed using quick chop technique. The lens cortical removal was performed bimanually with the Duet Bimanual I/A System. The study parameters included phacoemulsification time, intraoperative complications and early postoperative outcome.

Results: The mean Phacoemulsification time was 0.75 +/- 0.64 min. vision acuity equal or better than 0.5 were 55.30%, 87.12% and 90.15% after surgery one day, one week and one mother respectively. Eyes with 0.5 best corrected visual acuity amounted to 90.91%, while with 0.8, amounted to 77.27% all the treated eyes 1 month postoperation. The formation of anterior chamber was successfully maintained in every case. There was various degree of nuclear hardness in all of case studied.

Conclusion: Bimanual microphacoemulsification is a feasible, secure, and effective surgery for cataract extraction through a sub-1.5 mm clear cornea incision.