The flip and chop phaco technique has been presented here before on many occasions because it is such an efficient technique with a high margin of safety. It works well even in cases of poor pupil dilation or in patients who have floppy iris syndrome. It is safe to the corneal endothelium and these patients routinely have clear corneas the day after surgery.
Today’s video showcases a recent case of a patient with a moderately dense nucleus and a moderate degree of pupil dilation. Using this technique, the 5 to 5.5 mm capsulorhexis is made so that there is a sufficient opening to partially flip or prolapse the nucleus out of the capsular bag. The phaco probe and chopper are then used to quickly disassemble and aspirate the nucleus. If you have a small capsulorhexis of less than 5 mm, I recommend that you avoid using the flip-and-chop technique. Instead, leave the nucleus in the bag and do a traditional chop technique.
click below to learn from this highly efficient case:
