3021: anterior chamber pre-chop
Anterior chamber pre-chop offers an easy technique for splitting the lens nucleus prior to introducing the phaco probe. In this case, the surgeon prolapses the nucleus into the anterior chamber, protected by a generous layer of viscoelastic, and uses just a standard 27-gauge blunt cannula and a mechanical chopper to split the lens in half (edit: it’s actually two choppers). By opposing forces between the cannula and the chopper tip, the nucleus is efficiently bisected without placing stress on the capsular bag or zonular apparatus. Once divided into manageable fragments, phacoemulsification can proceed rapidly with significantly reduced total ultrasound energy, safeguarding the corneal endothelium. Watch the video to see this clever pre-chop technique in action. Have you tried pre-chopping in the anterior chamber using standard instruments, and what is your favorite method for initial nuclear division? Please comment your thoughts below.
