Innovations in technology and technique highlighted among winning videos

The 2013 Michael Blumenthal Award in this year’s Video Competition went to Makoto Kishimoto, Japan, for “New type torsional phaco tip advantages”.

In his presentation, Dr Kishimoto describes how a close examination of the physics of ultrasound phacoemulsification inspired the design of new phaco tip that is less likely to cause disruptions of flow and scattering of lens fragments. The aim of the new design is to prevent cavitation, a phenomenon that can occur when a sudden reduction of pressure reduces the boiling point of water.

In an experiment using a piece of Gouda cheese, Dr Kishimoto was able to demonstrate how cavitation alone can generate a very strong flow. That led them to design a tip in which flow would switch from positive to negative in a way that the pressure differentials averaged out within a very short temporal frame. Subsequent testing in laboratory and clinical settings indicate that the new tip causes almost no cavitations.