# The Technique of Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation in Subluxated Cataract Surgery

Authors: Huaiyan Jiang; Wenzhong Fu; Hongxia Xu
Journal: Stem Cells International
 (2022)

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## Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and practicability of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation for subluxated cataracts. A retrospective review of subluxated cataract surgeries of 19 eyes performed in Kunhua Hospital Affiliated with Kunming University of Science and Technology between January 2017 and June 2021 was conducted. We choose to use the rotate-and-chop phacoemulsification techniques described when the crystal nucleus is rotated out of the capsular bag and simultaneously perform horizontal chops over the capsule. The viscoelastic agent was the important material that filled the capsule to support the capsular bag, and capsular hooks were used in 10 eyes necessarily. Anterior vitrectomy was undergone in 15 eyes. Single-piece intraocular lenses (IOL) were implanted in the capsular bag in 12 eyes including 8 capsular tension ring (CTR) implantation. Three-piece IOLs were fixed scleral layer in 7 eyes. Follow-up was 6 months to 2 years, and all eyes were successfully implanted with centered IOL. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) increased from0.06±0.04 to 0.62±0.15. The cornea of all patients was clear, the intraocular lens was centered, the pupil was round, and the intraocular pressure was normal. Subluxated cataracts are a challenging surgery. The technique of phacoemulsification in subluxated cataract surgery is a key procedure to rotate and remove the lens from the capsule and at the same time horizontal chops and emulsification over the capsular bag to be performed. Viscoelastic agents and capsular hooks were important choices to support the capsule to reduce the incidence of complications related to the vitreous and retina and prevent the range enlarging of the zonular dialysis. A capsular tension ring was also an effective device to maintain capsular stability. Double-needle-guided scleral interlamellar fixation is an effective and practical method for IOL. Overall, the incision technique explored in this study and the surgical technique to support capsular stabilization provide a safe approach and satisfactory results in cataract surgery for subluxation.


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## Body

## 1. Introduction

A cataract is the first blinding eye disease in China, especially age-related cataracts, and its prevalence increases significantly with age, and the life expectancy of the Chinese population is now over 70 years old, with an estimated 137 million old people over 60 years old in China, of whom 73.13% are elderly blind and low-vision patients due to cataract [1]. Our country currently has about 5 million people with cataracts, and 400,000-1.2 million people are blind with cataracts each year. With the aging population, the high incidence of cataracts, and the disability rate increasingly affecting the quality of life of the elderly, it has become a major disease of concern worldwide [2].Crystalline lens subluxation is a complicated situation in cataract surgery. Lens subluxation was previously classified as a contraindication to phacoemulsification (PHACO). Following the capsular hooks and CTR used in the procedure of subluxated cataract phacoemulsification surgery, the surgery becomes safer and more efficient. According to the increasing hardness of the lens nuclear and enlarging the range of the dislocation, the difficulty during the surgery is increased [3]. Since the advent of the capsular tension ring, after its clinical application, it has been found that the capsular tension ring not only provides a complete equatorial circular contour of the capsular bag for most posterior chamber prostheses but also mechanically prevents lens epithelial cell, fibroblast proliferation, posterior capsule deformation, contraction, fibrosis, and opacification. Studies reporting the application of capsular tension ring to cataracts with clinically traumatic rupture of the suspensory ligament of the lens have summarized the advantages of capsular tension ring: (1) increasing the safety of posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation after phacoemulsification cataract aspiration, maintaining the lens circular contour, helping to restore the normal physiological position of the lens capsule, and preventing the displacement eccentricity of the intraocular lens; (2) inhibit the proliferation and migration of lens epithelial cells, reducing the occurrence of posterior cataract; (3) there is a wide range of applications for capsular tension rings with weak or fractured suspensory ligaments of the lens, either congenital or traumatic, and all can be placed; (4) to reduce asymmetric capsular tension and stabilize the anterior vitreous membrane, which facilitates crushing of the lens nucleus, cortical aspiration, and intraocular lens implantation; (5) prevent postoperative IOL pupil clamping, dislocation, tilting, etc. Recently, the fabrication materials and shape design of capsular tension ring have become more mature, and the two ends of open PMMA capsular tension ring not only have holes but also can add fixation hooks in the middle, becoming the modified capsular tension ring, superior to closed glue tension ring [4–7].In our study, we perform the surgery techniques of chopping technique and supporting the capsular bag stabilization. This technique is subluxated cataract surgery which provides a safe procedure and satisfactory effects. There are many options for IOL fixation, including suture fixation and sutureless fixation.


## 2. Methods

We conducted a retrospective study comprising 19 eyes of 19 patients with subluxated cataracts. Routine preoperative systemic and eye examinations were performed, including slit lamp, intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal endothelial cells, and A/B ultrasound biomicroscopic (UBM) examination. The lens dislocated range was 30-270 degrees. Topical anesthesia and routine disinfection were performed. A three-step, limbal corneal scleral tunnel and the self-sealing incision were made with a 2.2-2.7 mm metal blade. After injection of a viscoelastic agent into the anterior chamber, the center of the anterior capsule was pierced with a sharp needle. Capsulorhexis forceps were used to grasp the capsule and perform a 4.5 to 5.5 mm capsulorhexis. The nuclear and cortex were separated from the capsule by hydrodissection completely. Timely supplementation with a viscoelastic agent was filled in the capsular bag to support the equator of the capsular bag as the zonular dialysis was invisible and prevented vitreous prolapse. The important technique was to divide the nuclear from one to two halves by horizontal chop when the nucleus was rotated out of the capsular bag; meanwhile, the emulsification handpiece tip fixed the center of the nuclear. The phaco procedure was performed over the capsule in the center of the pupil area. We repeatedly filled the viscoelastic agent in the phaco surgery process when the edge of the capsular bag was released and the zonular dialysis was exposed. The capsular hooks were used to suspend the edge of the capsular bag when the range of zonular dialysis was over 90 degrees, as shown in Figure1. After insertion of the capsular hook, it can be fixed in the position of the capsule and can be blocked by vitreous prolapse and can be safely and successfully performed by phacoemulsification, as shown in Figure 2. A capsular tension ring was implanted in the capsular bag after clearing the cortex when the crystal dislocation range exceeds 60 degrees, as shown in Figure 3. A single-piece acrylic intraocular lens was implanted in the capsular bag after the CTR implantation, as shown in Figure 4. The 3-piece intraocular lens was fixed through the sclera by the two haptic embedded between the scleral layers when the range of zonular dialysis was over 150 degrees, as shown in Figures 5- 7. We performed vitrectomy in 12 eyes when the vitreous prolapsed during the phaco process. The patients were followed up from 6 months to 2 years after the operation, and their visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), cornea, and intraocular lens position were observed.Figure 1
The lens dislocation range was about 120 degrees; the capsule hooks were fixed on the edge of the capsule to stabilize the capsule for phacoemulsification.Figure 2
The phacoemulsification process was completed with the help of capsule hooks (the capsule was filled with the viscoelastic agent to prevent vitreous prolapse).Figure 3
After the completion of phacoemulsification, a tension ring was placed in the bag, and the dislocated part of the bag was supported by pressing against it.Figure 4
After the capsular tension ring was implanted, a single-piece foldable intraocular lens was implanted into the capsule.Figure 5
The haptics of the three-piece intraocular lens are derived from the inner scleral tunnel by inserting a double needle core, which is expanded by cauterization at the end and fixed to the inner scleral layer.Figure 6
The haptics of the three-piece intraocular lens was derived extramurally from the sclera with a 26 G double needle.Figure 7
Anterior vitrectomy is performed during the scleral interlamellar fixation procedure.


### 2.1. Surgical Techniques

All the surgeries were performed by a single experienced surgeon. After performing the corneal tunnel incision, a trocar was fixed to enable slow infusion into the anterior chamber when required. Anterior vitrectomy is performed when there is vitreous prolapse into the anterior chamber from the area of the zonular dialysis area. A complete capsulorhexis is an important procedure for successful phacoemulsification and capsular bag preservation in any subluxated cataract case. The capsulorhexis is more challenging than the routine case. Puncture the anterior capsule with an incisive needle at first because the capsule is more elastic and thicker than the standard case. Viscoelastic agent filled in the anterior chamber to deepen the anterior chamber and push the capsule backward to minimize the dialysis and perform the capsulorhexis easily. After full hydrodissection and hydrodelineation are performed, fill the viscoelastic agent to the equatorial part of the bag at the top pressure dislocation inside the capsule. We use the rotation-and-chop technique in the emulsification procedure. The phaco handpiece tip is embedded in the thickest central part of the crystal nucleus, and rotate the crystal nucleus, exposing the crystal equator and splitting the crystal nucleus into two parts. The crystal fragments are then removed from the capsule and emulsified. Try to ensure a low flow rate and abstract rate in the process of emulsification, and try to shorten the residence time of the emulsification handpiece when attracting and emulsification different nuclear blocks. If the viscoelastic agent is enough to support the capsule to complete the process of emulsification, the capsule hook needs not be inserted; otherwise, the capsule hook should be applied. If the nucleus is hard enough, we cannot complete the phacoemulsification cleavage in the anterior chamber. If necessary, the corneal incision can be enlarged and the nucleus can be pulled out with a trap. We try to preserve the integrity of the capsule at the end of phacoemulsification. Lens dislocations of greater than 60 degrees and less than 150 degrees require capsular tension rings. A 1-piece posterior chamber acrylic intraocular lens was inserted after the capsular tension ring was implanted.When the dislocation is greater than 150 degrees, a sutureless 3-piece intraocular lens implantation is performed. A 3-piece foldable IOL is loaded into the cartridge and injector system, which is implanted into the anterior chamber after the leading haptic is derived in a 26 G needle through sclerotomy and inserted into the scleral tunnel in a suprascapular surface. The trailing haptic is equally externalized through the opposite sclerotomy on the same surface as the handshake technique. The position and integrity of the capsular bag are maintained throughout the process with a viscoelastic agent.During the whole operation, the vitreous body at the location of the dialysis should not enter the anterior chamber, and the position of the capsule should be kept in the same plane to retain an intact vitreous face, to ensure the smooth operation of emulsification and IOL implantation. If the scope of lens dislocation is large, the capsular bag cannot be retained after the capsular hooks are removed. If necessary, the capsular bag can only be removed before intraocular lens fixation.


## 2.1. Surgical Techniques

All the surgeries were performed by a single experienced surgeon. After performing the corneal tunnel incision, a trocar was fixed to enable slow infusion into the anterior chamber when required. Anterior vitrectomy is performed when there is vitreous prolapse into the anterior chamber from the area of the zonular dialysis area. A complete capsulorhexis is an important procedure for successful phacoemulsification and capsular bag preservation in any subluxated cataract case. The capsulorhexis is more challenging than the routine case. Puncture the anterior capsule with an incisive needle at first because the capsule is more elastic and thicker than the standard case. Viscoelastic agent filled in the anterior chamber to deepen the anterior chamber and push the capsule backward to minimize the dialysis and perform the capsulorhexis easily. After full hydrodissection and hydrodelineation are performed, fill the viscoelastic agent to the equatorial part of the bag at the top pressure dislocation inside the capsule. We use the rotation-and-chop technique in the emulsification procedure. The phaco handpiece tip is embedded in the thickest central part of the crystal nucleus, and rotate the crystal nucleus, exposing the crystal equator and splitting the crystal nucleus into two parts. The crystal fragments are then removed from the capsule and emulsified. Try to ensure a low flow rate and abstract rate in the process of emulsification, and try to shorten the residence time of the emulsification handpiece when attracting and emulsification different nuclear blocks. If the viscoelastic agent is enough to support the capsule to complete the process of emulsification, the capsule hook needs not be inserted; otherwise, the capsule hook should be applied. If the nucleus is hard enough, we cannot complete the phacoemulsification cleavage in the anterior chamber. If necessary, the corneal incision can be enlarged and the nucleus can be pulled out with a trap. We try to preserve the integrity of the capsule at the end of phacoemulsification. Lens dislocations of greater than 60 degrees and less than 150 degrees require capsular tension rings. A 1-piece posterior chamber acrylic intraocular lens was inserted after the capsular tension ring was implanted.When the dislocation is greater than 150 degrees, a sutureless 3-piece intraocular lens implantation is performed. A 3-piece foldable IOL is loaded into the cartridge and injector system, which is implanted into the anterior chamber after the leading haptic is derived in a 26 G needle through sclerotomy and inserted into the scleral tunnel in a suprascapular surface. The trailing haptic is equally externalized through the opposite sclerotomy on the same surface as the handshake technique. The position and integrity of the capsular bag are maintained throughout the process with a viscoelastic agent.During the whole operation, the vitreous body at the location of the dialysis should not enter the anterior chamber, and the position of the capsule should be kept in the same plane to retain an intact vitreous face, to ensure the smooth operation of emulsification and IOL implantation. If the scope of lens dislocation is large, the capsular bag cannot be retained after the capsular hooks are removed. If necessary, the capsular bag can only be removed before intraocular lens fixation.


## 3. Results

This retrospective study comprised 19 eyes of 19 patients with subluxated cataracts including 8 females and 11 males whose ages were between 45 and 84 years old. The mean age was61.2±12.3 years old (SD). Nine of the patients had a history of trauma. The BCVA of preoperation was 0.06±0.04. Four eyes had high intraocular pressure with two eyes having dilated pupils. The crystal dislocation ranged from 30 degrees to 270 degrees. Three patients had grade 2 nuclear hardness, 12 patients had grade 3 nuclear hardness, and 4 patients had grade 4 nuclear hardness (Table 1). Every cataract surgery was performed with phacoemulsification and the chop techniques mentioned above. We used capsular hooks in 10 eyes during the surgery procedure. We inserted CTR in 8 eyes. We chose to apply a single-piece foldable IOL in 12 cases, which were implanted in the capsular bag, and 7 three-piece IOLs were inserted in the suprascapular space and fixed through the scleral layers by free suture; two of the eyes did not retain the capsule due to extensive dislocation of the dialysis range. We performed vitrectomy in 15 eyes when the vitreous prolapsed before or during the phaco process, as shown in Table 1. No posterior capsular rupture occurred during the operation. Seven 3-piece IOLs were fixed with the two haptics through the scleral layer using the YAMANY technique according to the range of zonular dialysis over 150 degrees whose left capsule could not support the IOL, as shown in Table 2 [1]. Follow-up was from 6 months to 2 years. The BCVA was 0.62±0.15. The IOLs were in the central location behind the iris in all eyes and postoperative intraocular pressure was all normal, as shown in Figures 8-9.Table 1
The number of cases with different ranges of crystal dislocation and the number of cases with different hardness of crystal nucleus.
Subluxated degreeDensity degree of nuclearIIIIIIVTotal30-60112460-1501618150-2401214240-2701113Total410519Table 2
Number of cases using capsule hook, CTR, single-piece IOL, and three-piece IOL.
Capsular hookCTRSingle-piece IOLThree-piece IOLAnterior vitrectomyNumber10812715Figure 8
The intraocular lens was centered and the pupil was round.Figure 9
The intraocular lens was centered and the pupil was round after double haptic sutureless scleral interlamellar fixation.


## 4. Discussion

Subluxated cataract surgery is a complicated surgery in phacoemulsification. It is important to have a thorough preoperative examination of the eye to assess the extent of lens dislocation. Preoperative high intraocular pressure and corneal edema bring risks and difficulties to the operation. Preoperative slit lamp examination and UBM examination may not match the actual scope of crystal dislocation. A wide range of anterior dislocations may lead to a shallow anterior chamber, making the operation of capsulorhexis more difficult. Limbus can be inserted into a perfusion tube to maintain anterior chamber depth. The scleral perfusion tube should be inserted if necessary for posterior dislocation cataract due to anterior chamber deepening [2]. Because the capsule membrane thickens and toughens when the crystal is dislocated and the crystal position is abnormal, it is relatively difficult to ensure the complete capsulorhexis in the center [2–5]. Needles can be selected to puncture the capsule membrane at the beginning. Creating a good-sized and centered continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis is crucial to facilitate the use of capsular retractors and capsular tension devices necessarily. In cases of crystal dislocation, the emulsification process becomes extremely difficult. The viscoelastic agent is very important to avoid abnormal crystal position and vitreous prolapse into the anterior chamber. After the end of the hydro-dissection, the viscoelastic agent filled the capsular bag to support the edge of the dislocated capsular bag. A small range of crystal dislocation can be successfully performed by phacoemulsification by filling the capsule with a viscoelastic agent [2].In the process of phacoemulsification, we use the rotation-and-chop technique. A handpiece tip was used to fix and embed the center-right or left of the crystal nucleus, and then, the nucleus was rotated out of the capsule. During the rotation process, the nucleus was split when the equatorial part of the crystal was exposed, and the crystal nucleus was divided into two parts. After that, the crystal fragments were rotated out of the capsule and emulsified and aspirated using fixation and rotation. The process of phacoemulsification occurred in the pupil area. During intraoperative nuclear cleavage, the pressure on the dislocated capsule should be minimized, and the large-scale rotation of the equatorial portion of the crystal nucleus should be avoided with the chop hook. To reduce the attraction of the dislocated bag, low negative pressure is used in the process of phacoemulsification, and the phaco handpiece tip is used to actively attract the nuclear block continuously in the process of emulsification, to avoid empty suction of viscoelastic agent in the anterior chamber and the release of negative pressure in the middle of the suction of the dislocated capsule [3–5]. Some surgeons choose to perform femtosecond laser cataract surgery for patients with lens dislocation, which can reduce the difficulty of capsular tearing and nuclear cleavage during cataract surgery, reduce the risk of surgery, reduce the chance of some surgical complications, and also avoid the possibility of expanding the scope of crystal dislocation caused by the unskilled operation of some novice cataract surgeons [6, 7].If the crystal dislocation range is relatively large or the crystal core hardness exceeds three degrees, the viscoelastic agent filling bag cannot complete the phacoemulsification; the capsular hook is a safe and effective device. Some surgeons use flexible iris retractors and Ahmed segment bag support devices to facilitate the successful completion of the operation [2–5, 8].When the lens dislocation is less than 60 degrees, simple one-piece intraocular lens implantation can be performed. When the dislocation range of the crystal was more than 60 degrees but less than or equal to 150 degrees, a single-piece foldable intraocular lens was inserted after the CTR was selected to place the capsular bag. We chose ordinary CTR implantation. Some surgeons choose to fix the scleral wall with a Cionni ring suture [8–10]. The unique design of a Cionni ring increases the stability of the capsule. Although the suturing process increases the difficulty of the operation, the dislocated capsule can be preserved, which can ensure the smooth implantation of an intraocular lens into the capsule [8–12].When the range of crystal dislocation was beyond 150 degrees, YAMANE technology was used to choose a three-piece IOL that was fixed between the scleral layers. In inner scleral fixation, a double-needle is used to make a scleral tunnel. The intraocular lens haptic is inserted into the needle lumen. The intraocular lens haptic is dragged out from the scleral tunnel; its end is cauterized and expanded and then inserted into the scleral tunnel. This surgery requires a surgical learning curve to master [1, 13–16, 20, 21]. Different surgeons for the IOL suspension select different suspension methods, some surgeons prefer stitches to IOL haptic between the sclera layer, and some surgeons prefer to fix the IOL with suture fixation behind the iris. Phacoemulsification plus intraocular lens implantation can be done for the common cataract patient, placing the intraocular crystals in the capsular bag of crystals. But for some special cases, such as when the patient has a history of ocular trauma or the lens nucleus is too stiff, some complications occur during the operation, which leads to the rupture of the posterior capsule with the placed crystals or the detachment of the suspensory ligament, which is already impossible to put the IOL into the capsular bag, and a special surgical way must be chosen to help the patient improve visual function, that is, the suspension surgery with the IOL. Because the IOL suspension procedure, relatively common for cataract surgery, is more complicated and has a longer operation time if it is to be performed, it needs to communicate with the patient adequately preoperatively, and the postoperative effect is judged by the patient’s fundus condition [19].The question of whether the capsule can be retained, of course, keep capsule for cataract surgery operation and the IOL placement process provides a guarantee of safety [2]. It also increases the chance of posterior capsular opacification [18].Anterior vitrectomy is also an essential operation in phacoemulsification of lens dislocation. After the end of emulsification, try to ensure the integrity and the original position of the capsule, even if the intraocular lens scleral fixation, also try to retain the capsule, which is helpful for the resistance of vitreous prolapse; if the scope of dislocation is too large, the capsule cannot be retained, only remove the dislocated capsule; at the same time, do anterior vitrectomy [1, 17]. And then, we perform intraocular lens interlaminar scleral fixation.


## 5. Conclusion

To sum up, phacoemulsification of lens dislocation is a challenging operation. We use rotation and chop techniques in the surgery. Intraoperative phacoemulsification is performed by rotating the nucleus at the same time. The nucleus is chopped and the nucleus in the anterior pupil area of the anterior chamber is complete. Small dislocation of the capsule is used to maintain the stability of the capsule position to complete the emulsification process and prevent vitreous prolapse. The capsule hook is the best choice for extensive dislocation and emulsification is safer. Perfusion in the anterior chamber is also necessary to maintain normal intraocular pressure. Capsular tension ring dislocation in a small area is a wise choice, and a one-piece intraocular lens can be placed in a large area, but for large-scale dislocation, a three-piece intraocular lens can be fixed from the scleral layer with double-needle leads, and the operation has a certain learning curve. These methods are effective and practical for cataract surgery for lens dislocation.



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*Source: 3188710-2022-10-06.xml*