Vitreous loss by resident surgeons during cataract surgery

Purpose. The development of proficient cataract extraction technique is a vital component of an ophthalmology resident's training. Vitreous loss is a serious complication of cataract surgery and has many postoperative implications such as increased risk of cystoid macular edema, retinal detachment, uveitis, glaucoma, and corneal decompensation. We exam ned the incidence and rate of vitreous loss during cataract surgery by senior ophthalmology residents. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive cases of cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation done at Parkland Memorial Hospital from July, 1992 through April, 1995. All cases were done by senior ophthalmology residents during their surgical rotation at the county hospital. Results. Eight hundred and forty-one cataract extractions done at Parkland Memorial Hospital by 19 residents were reviewed. Surgical techniques included phacoemulsification in 673 cases (80%) and standard extracapsular extraction in 168 cases (20%). The number of cases done per month ranged from 23 to 33.7 The incidence of vitreous loss ranged from 0.67 to 2.7 cases per month and decreased as the academic year progressed. The rate of vitreous loss was 2.5% for extracapsular surgery and 6.3% for phacoemulsification for an overall rate of 5.5% during the study period. Conclusions To our knowledge, this study is the largest surgical series to date to examine the vitreous loss rate among resident surgeons performing predominately phacoemulsification technique cataract extractions. Our results compare favorably with similar resident series reported in the literature.