Impact of different manufacturers and gauge sizes on the performance of backflush needle

The present study aimed to identify the factors regulating aspiration rate (AR) of backflush needles and to compare those factors across various backflush needles from different manufacturers. The 27-gauge (27G), 25-gauge, and 23-gauge backflush needles from four different manufacturers, Alcon, MedOne, VitreQ, and DORC, were used for this experiment. AR was measured at four different aspiration vacuum levels: 100, 200, 400, and 650 mmHg. AR was significantly increased as the aspiration vacuum level increased when both aspirating balanced salt solution (BSS) and ethylene glycol; however, 27G products from VitreQ and MedOne were unable to aspirate ethylene glycol at the low aspiration vacuum level of 100 mmHg. When aspirating BSS at the high aspiration vacuum level of 650 mmHg, a smaller gauge number generally resulted in a significantly higher AR. AR, inner diameter, and cross-sectional area in Alcon products were significantly larger in any gauge, and the shaft length of Alcon products was significantly shorter than those of other manufacturers' products in any gauge. Cross-sectional area negatively correlated with the degree of shaft deflection (r² = 0.21, p = 0.042). These results imply that AR differs significantly among backflush needles and among companies depending on the shaft cross-sectional area.