Electric double-sleeved vacuuming microtrephine for lens refilling

An automated electric double-sleeved vacuuming microtrephine has been devel oped that consistently creates a 0.8 to 1.0 mm tear-free hole:in the anteri or lens capsule. This hole is required for lens refilling to retain accommo dation after cataract removal. The trephine is double-sleeved. The stainles s-steel outer sleeve vacuums the internal anterior capsule; the stainless s teel relating inner sleeve, which has a blade on the head, then slides forw ard and cuts the taut anterior capsule. All manipulations are controlled au tomatically by depressing a foot pedal. Using this instrument, a 0.8 to 1.0 mm tear-free microhole in the anterior capsule was created successfully in 80% of excised pig (n = 30) and eye-bank (n = 10) eyes. This trephine will be useful for lens refilling in the future. J Cararact Refract Surg 2000; 26:1717-1721 (C) 2000 ASCRS and ESCRS.