Comparison of Pediatric Cataract Surgical Techniques Between Pediatric Ophthalmology Consultants and Fellows in Training: A Video-Based Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: To compare intraoperative technique and quality of surgical steps in pediatric cataract surgery between pediatric ophthalmology consultants and fellows in training.

Methods: In a video-based analysis by two fellowship-trained pediatric ophthalmologists, 42 surgical videos of pediatric ophthalmology consultants and 34 videos of fellows in training were graded based on the International Council of Ophthalmology's Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubrics (ICO-OSCAR). Six steps in surgery were analyzed: wound construction, anterior continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis, irrigation and aspiration, intraocular lens implantation, primary posterior capsulorrhexis with anterior vitrectomy, and wound suturing. Cohen's Kappa was used to rate inter-observer agreement.

Results: Cohen's Kappa scores ranged from 0.6 to 0.8. The median scores for surgical steps for both analyzed groups were similar. The mean duration of surgery was shorter for consultants (24 minutes, range: 10 to 45 minutes) than for fellows (40 minutes, range: 15 to 70 minutes). The median age of patients operated on by consultants was younger (24 months, range: 2 to 180 months) than fellows (58 months, range: 10 to 150 months).

Conclusions: The quality of the surgical steps performed by pediatric ophthalmology consultants and fellows in training was similar. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2019;56(2):83-87.].