Pain reducing effect of the modified cooling system in biaxial phaco.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background & Aim: To assess the efficacy of the proposed modified cooling system in decreasing patient’s sensation of pain by comparing results of its use in biaxial phaco with the results without its use in coaxial and biaxial phaco.

SETTINGS: Dept. of ophthalmology, Faculty of medicine Damascus University.

METHODS: This prospective randomized controlled study comprised 83 eyes divided into 2 groups:

First group (47eyes) were operated using the proposed modified cooling system in biaxial phaco, second- control group (36 eyes) were operated without the cooling system in coaxial phaco. Third group (8 patients- 16eyes) were operated using biaxial phaco without cooling system in the first eye, and with the cooling system in the second eye. Chop technique was used in all operations; results were compared according to patient’s score of pain sensation right after surgery using the visual analog pain scale, scoring from zero (no pain) to 10 for unbearable pain. Results were considered statistically evident when p value was less or equal to 0.05. Statistical analysis was made using SPSS 18.

RESULTS:  This study showed that the proposed modified cooling system  decreased patient’s pain sensation score during surgery from 0.19 to 0.05 ( p= 0.02), while no difference was found in the third group, corneal burns were not detected in all groups.

CONCLUSIONS: The modified cooling system in biaxial phaco was effective in reducing pain during surgery.  Further studies are needed to assess its pain and inflammatory reaction reducing effects.