Cortex Shizzle
Contributor: Thomas A. Oetting, MS, MD
length approx 2 minutes
Here we show a video of the chopping technique used by Dr. Oetting and the elusive shizzle* of the epinucleus and cortex.
Dr. Oetting Comments: "I like to use longitudinal U/S to hold the nucleus for chopping and then after splitting the nucleus into about 6 pieces I switch to Ozil or tortional U/S to gobble up each of the 6 pieces. Using longitudinal phaco to embed into a piece allows a tight grip for the vacuum to hold the piece as the hole into the nucleus is the same size as the needle. Embedding with Ozil or torsional phaco makes for a hole into the nucleus which is wider than the needle and so the vacuum does not hold as well for chopping."
"Shizzle is a manuever that is very important and safe. You grab either cortical or epinuclear material across from the wound and hold it high with the phaco needle. Then with the second instrument shizzle the material in the subincisional area out by pushing on the material under the phaco needle away from the wound. this video shows a nice example."
*Dr Jordan Graff invented the use of the term "shizzle" in this context.
See also Cataract Surgery for Greenhorns on the transition to chop.
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