A Time And Motion Study Assessing The Efficiency Impact Of The Next Generation Of Phacoemulsification System On Cataract Surgery Turnover
Published 2025 - 43rd Congress of the ESCRS
Reference: PO309 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/7ep5-9p15
Authors: Andreas Honeder, 1 , Leon Pomberger 2 , Klemens Waser 3 , Haidar Khalil 2 , Matthias Bolz 2 , Peter Laubichler 4 , Nino Hirnschall 2
1Ophthalmology and Optometry ,Johannes Kepler University,Linz ,Austria;Ophthalmology and Optometry,Kepler University Clinic,Linz ,Austria, 2Ophthalmology and Optometry ,Johannes Kepler University,Linz ,Austria;Ophthalmology and Optometry ,Kepler University Clinic,Linz ,Austria, 3Ophthalmology and Optometry ,Johannes Kepler University,Linz ,Austria;Ophthalmology and Optometry ,Kepler University Clinic,Linz ,Austria;Smile Eyes ,Trier,Germany, 4Ophthalmology and Optometry ,Johannes Kepler University,Linz ,Austria;Ophthalmology and Optometry ,Kepler University Clinic,Linz,Austria
Purpose
As the aging population increases, the burden of cataract surgery demand is expected to rise, making surgical efficiency and workflow optimization increasingly important to meet patient needs. To evaluate the efficiency impact of a next generation phacoemulsification system, UNITY™ Vitreoretinal Cataract System (UNITY VCS), a real-world prospective, observational time and motion study was conducted to assess the surgery turnover efficiency compared to CENTURION™ Vision System with ACTIVE SENTRY™ (CENTURION with AS).
Setting
Ambulatory Surgical Center in Atlanta, GA, USA.
Methods
Real-world data was captured over three separate one-week periods (August 2024, September 2024, January 2025), capturing over 140 cataract procedures performed by a single surgeon on adult patients with age-related non-complicated cataracts. Outcomes of interest include comparisons of surgery turnover time, which consists of sterile field set-up and sterile field tear-down time. Additionally, potential time savings associated with a more efficient surgery turnover will be used to calculate improvements in patient throughput per surgical day. Enrollment and data collection completed in January 2025, and data analyses are currently ongoing with statistical analyses planned once all data are available.
Results
Interim data are available for 77 subjects in the baseline CENTURION with AS arm. The mean age of patients was 69.6 years, and most patients had a cataract density of 2+ (81.8%). Femtosecond laser and image guidance systems were used in 28.6% of cases. Mean surgery turnover time with CENTURION with AS was 12.09 ± 3.55 minutes. Final results will include data from the full cohort and a comparative analysis against UNITY VCS.
Conclusions
Preliminary results show surgery turnover takes an average of 12.09 minutes with CENTURION with AS. Future analyses will determine if the UNITY VCS console is associated with decreased surgery turnover time. Decreased surgery turnover time may contribute to increased patient throughout, reduce the current backlog of patients waiting to receive cataract surgery, and improve capacity to meet the growing demand for cataract surgery.