Cough During Phacoemulsification

Maintaining a positive pressure during patient valsalva is very important. Many surgeons will rapidly remove their instruments from the eye if a patient starts to cough, which allows the chamber to collapse, can cause incisional prolapse of the iris, and invites retrodirected fluid later in the case. We must instead maintain positive pressure.

The images used herein attributed to Steve Charles, MD, are reprinted from Charles S, Calzada J, Wood B. Vitreous Microsurgery. 5th ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins; 2011, with permission from Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins. http://lww.com

© 2012 Bryn Mawr Communications LLC