Clinical experience of using the NGENUITY three-dimensional surgery system in ophthalmic surgical procedures

To assess the clinical experience of using a three-dimensional (3D) system for ophthalmic surgical procedures.

We retrospectively analysed video recordings of patients who underwent 3D ophthalmic surgery, using the NGENUITY^® 3D visualization system, or traditional microsurgery at our hospital, from August 2017 to February 2018. Patients underwent phacoemulsification or phacoemulsification combined with vitrectomy. Diagnoses, operation type, duration of continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC), number of forceps nips during CCC and capsulorhexis complications were recorded. Five surgeons and four assistants answered a 3D surgery questionnaire.

Twenty-six of 46 patients who underwent 3D surgery, and 31 of 51 patients who underwent traditional microsurgery (control group) were enrolled. The mean CCC duration in the study and control groups was 31.2 ± 10.8 and 28.7 ± 13.2 seconds (p = 0.071), and the mean number of forceps nips was 5 ± 2 and 5 ± 2 (p = 0.634), respectively. The anterior capsular rupture rate of phacoemulsification under 3D and traditional conditions was 3.85% (1/26 cases) and 3.23% (1/31 cases), respectively. The complication rate was similar between the two groups (p > 0.999). Four of five surgeons and two of four assistants believed the clarity of 3D surgery was similar or better than that of traditional microsurgery. The occurrence of dizziness (p > 0.999), shoulder and neck pain (p = 0.262), backache (p = 0.471) and visual fatigue (p = 0.347) did not differ significantly between the two methods.

The 3D surgical system facilitated similar operation speed and stability as the traditional microscope and provided reliable support for ophthalmic surgery.