[ECCE with self-sealing cataract incision. Technique and clinical results]

We present of modified technique for sutureless ECCE with a trapezoidal tunnel incision of 11 mm. The operation can be performed in a closed system because of the self-sealing wound construction. Compared to the sutured corneoscleral ECCE the new procedure has important advantages: the procedure is safe even during the critical phase following nucleus extraction. The procedure is therefore safer, faster, more economical and suture-induced astigmatism is avoided. Clinical experience after 2 years showed that postoperative complications were reduced significantly. Iris prolapse, wound dehiscens and hyphema occurred at a rate of 2%. The astigmatism (Jaffe analysis) was at a rate of 2 D, stable within 4 weeks after surgery, and did not change up to 2 years postoperatively. The astigmatism induced was then reduced about 0.5 D by a radical suture.