Assessment of the duration of surgery and patient turnover after the incorporation of a standardized intracameral combination of mydriatics and anesthetics for cataract surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate changes in clinical outcomes, duration, and workflow of cataract surgery, before and after the introduction of a commercially available intracameral combination of 2 mydriatics (phenylephrine, tropicamide) and 1 anesthetic (lidocaine) (ICMA).

Setting: Service d'Ophtalmologie, Hôpital Bicêtre, Université Paris Sud., Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Methods: Three series of patients who underwent cataract surgery were grouped according to when they had surgery: just before ICMA was approved (early 2016, Series I); just after implementation of ICMA as the standard procedure for surgery (late 2016, Series II); and 21 months after using ICMA routinely for surgery (2018, Series III). Data were collected on patient turnover during the day of surgery and surgical outcomes.

Results: The study population comprised of 51, 47, and 51 patients in Series I, II, and III respectively. There were no statistical differences between series in the mean change in corrected distance visual acuity from preoperatively to 1 month postoperatively and in complications (P > .05, all comparisons). The mean duration of surgery was significantly shorter in Series III and II, compared with Series I (13.18 ± 4.05 and 13.62 ± 5.26 vs 15.82 ± 6.01 minutes; P = .023 and P = .041, respectively). The mean patient rotation was statistically significantly shorter in Series III compared with Series I (41.50 ± 8.31 vs 47.79 ± 14.66 minutes, respectively; P = .028).

Conclusions: Implementing ICMA as a routine procedure in cataract surgery resulted in similar vision and safety outcomes than the usual topical eyedrop regimen, while significantly reducing the total surgery and rotation times. Hence, patient turnover during the surgical session was optimized while maintaining safety and efficacy of the procedure.