"Nucleuscapture"
a safe, inexpensive option for small-incision cataract surgery

Riccardo Giannetti, MD can be reached at Livorno Hospital, Livorno, Italy

LIVORNO, Italy – While phacoemulsification enables surgeons to use small incisions and implant foldable IOLs, many would like to avoid the learning curve, high cost and complexity of the procedure. Riccardo Giannetti, MD, of the Hospital of Livorno here, has created a new technique,

“nucleuscapture”, which he said is a less expensive, repeatable and fairly easy method of performing sutureless tunnel-incision cataract surgery.

Giannetti places the incision at the axis of greatest corneal curvature, as determined by preop keratometry, to reduce pre-existing astigmatism. Capturing, extracting and delivering the nucleus through the tunnel with a two-handed technique affords great control of the procedure. The no-stitch self-sealing tunnel has resulted in deeper anterior chambers and less hyphema, according to Giannetti.

He also reports that in 40 eyes at one-month postop, the appearance of corneas seems to be better than in cases done with phaco. For a step-by-step illustration of the procedure, see page 38.

 (From OCULAR SURGERY NEWS vol.14, No. 8-April 15, 1996)